General News
15 November, 2024
Iconic trees face chop
RESIDENTS and environmentalists have launched a campaign to save three large fig trees at White Rock from being axed.
RESIDENTS and environmentalists have launched a campaign to save three large fig trees at White Rock from being axed.
Cairns and Far North Environment Centre’s (CAFNEC) Tree Action Group (TAG) is concerned that developer Kenfrost will justify removing the trees by claiming their management is cost prohibitive.
CAFNEC community organiser Monique Jeffs said the Cairns planning scheme claimed to be about ‘tropical urbanism’, “but this doesn’t seem to stop large, mature trees providing shade, habitat values and visual amenity from being removed as a first response rather than being maintained and protected”.
“At a time of increasing temperatures and record high instances of heat-related illnesses, every attempt should be made to preserve our significant shade trees, however, the (council) and developers appear to consider large trees to be an inconvenience,” she said.
Ms Jeffs said the fig trees in Links Drive were estimated to be more than 70-years-old. They are used by native species for hunting (black butcherbirds and kookaburras) and are also a source of food during spring and summer for fig birds. They provide shade and cool the area and stabilise the soil during floods and wet season.
White Rock resident Leslie Sparks said the trees were “really important to the local community”.
“We want to see a design that provides the housing that is desperately needed while preserving these iconic trees,” she said.
“We need a council with the courage to stand up for our significant trees. It shouldn’t be on the shoulders of everyday community members to protect these trees and the green in the city we all love.”
Ms Jeffs said in a previous development application for the site, the trees were declared ‘significant trees’ by the council and bonds of $25,000 were placed on each tree in order to protect them.
“A senior CRC planner has now created uncertainty by saying ‘significance of trees is open to interpretation’,” she said.
“Council arborists have given the trees a clean bill of health.”
Ms Jeffs said TAG had engaged a local architect who had provided a compromise design that was medium density, preserving the three trees, and providing an increase in the proposed number of dwellings.
Divisional representative Cathy Zeiger (Div.2) said the three trees were “beautiful”.
She said Kenfrost Homes had applied to the council to develop a subdivision involving 50 homes and wanted to remove the trees.
“I think this is a great opportunity for them to be creative, to build around them or go up in height,” Cr Zeiger said.
She said the trees were regarded as “substantial” and developers could not go in and chop them down.
Cr Zeiger said in a previous application, a court order was issued to keep the trees but now the council was dealing with a new application and the court order was not relevant. She said she had raised with council planners the community’s sentiment about the trees. The planners had since asked Kenfrost to provide more details about the application including questions about the trees, and the condition of the trees.
Cr Zeiger said the developer might provide an arborist’s report which would require the council to order an independent arborist’s report.
She said the tree nearest the Cairns golf course had caused a lot of damage and might have to be removed. Cr Zeiger said she was hoping two or possibly three of the trees could be saved.
Kenfrost was contacted for comment but did not respond by deadline.
