A Reprieve for Poverty Point Tree

Love a great good news story. Here is the latest on the Poverty Point Tree. For the back story click here. Thank you to everyone who took the time to make a comment on the post, contacted Edith to give support and those who wrote to council about it. Its so great when we work together. Really makes the network worthwhile! And thank you to Edith for taking the lead on this one, all campaigns need leaders prepared to learn, share and talk. Thank you all dear Easties.

A Reprieve for the Tree at Poverty Point!

Last Friday, we had a site meeting with Council arborists to discuss the tree. It was an interesting opportunity to look closely and to learn what makes a healthy tree.  This tree is enormous and looking up into the canopy it seems to be bursting with vitality, but walking around the trunk the arborists pointed out the problem points where the multiple trunks grow into and against each other.

We learnt about Australian Standard No. AS4970-2009 Protection of Trees on development sites. This Standard uses some pretty scientific measurements to work out a tree protection zone (TPZ) and a Structural Root Zone (SRZ).  The development which is so close to the tree, and the last unit, is within 10m of the tree, well inside the TPZ which could be estimated for this tree, although because of the contours of the land there, the unit foundations probably did not affect the tree’s SRZ. Nevertheless no one knows if an arborist was consulted at the time of planning or building. The unit is in a scooped out part of the hillside, which makes the tree, on the upside of the hill, all the more imposing.

We talked about the loss that removal of the tree would entail: the bird life that uses the tree; micro-climate and how the loss of the tree might affect the other large gums growing near; and how the tree acts to screen the units from the park. We all felt that the loss of such a significant tree would be terribly detrimental to the area. We talked about how the tree might fall if it ever did fail, and how much wind that would take, but all agreed, it was impossible to predict when that might happen, or just how. Most of the tree grows to the sun, to the north side, away from the unit.

We all had an opportunity to ask questions and contribute, nevertheless I wasn’t feeling at all confident, until one of the Council officers said “well, option 2…” which made us all perk up! The original letter we’d received sounded like a death knell, as if there was no option but removal.

But it seemed that it would be reasonable to do some remedial work on the tree: to trim the branches which do grow towards the unit (which are just branches, not great limbs); to take weight out of the canopy; and to install a cable system in the canopy (sort of, tying it together). The tree in this state will need to be reviewed annually, and ultimately one day will have to be removed. However, as any ‘failure’ of the tree is completely unpredictable, we may have gained 5 years, or maybe even 10 – time to get some replacement trees growing. This was astonishing news which we were happy to hear, and look forward with interest to the works beginning.

Further, while we stood talking and looking around, the Council officers agreed that the units intrude visually into the Poverty Point reserve, and agreed to organize more effective plantings to help screen the units.

So, for us, dear BEnetters, this has been an interesting exercise with a positive result. I’m really grateful to the officers for meeting with us, and for the Council to give us this opportunity. We learnt heaps, we were able to point things out about our area, and the Council officers were very amiable and interested in what we were saying.  Of course, the tree’s days are now numbered, and replacement trees won’t reach that enormous size for a long time; but it is a vast relief not to lose the whole tree, immediately. It is good to learn that Council is prepared to save a tree, if people speak up.  So Easties, stay vigilant, and always ask if there is another option! When we know how many trees we have lost in the past few years thanks to development and climate stress, I’m glad to be able to give you a good news story about the Poverty Point tree.

Cheers all,

Edith