Community
16 October, 2024
New growth around Douglas
It was back in April of 2021 that the ‘Goss’ covered the story of poisoned trees in Port Douglas.
Generally, I’ve found the Douglas Shire Community to be extremely meticulous when it comes to preservation of the environment, so it was a gut-wrenching blow when news spread, in mid-March of 2021, that virtually half of the iconic Warner Street Rosewood Trees, had been potentially poisoned.
By mid-April, an independent arborist report, commissioned by Douglas Shire Council, recommended the urgent removal of a number of trees due to their deteriorating health. Fortunately, these trees were removed from botanical death row, after a second independent arborist report recommended that further maintenance and monitoring may give them a chance of survival, due to a sample showing good sap flow and no hydraulic failure.
Eventually a toxicology report confirmed a number of the trees had been poisoned, but to this day, unfortunately, the culprits at the ‘root’ of this travesty are still at large.
After some careful nurturing, the trees did certainly look better for a long period. I did check them out just last week and I have to say they are looking a little sorry for themselves again.
While the Rosewood Tree story is very sad, just recently I talked about local Rainforest Rescuer Tyler Smith who is doing his bit to keep our tree population thriving. Since 2015 young Tyler Smith, now 13 years old, has been actively involved with Rainforest Rescue, an organisation with a mission to protect rainforests forever. Tyler regularly attends tree planting days with his family, thus helping not-for-profit Rainforest Rescue to protect and restore our rainforests.
Keeping on the tree theme for this week, there are fourteen ‘Beauty Leaf’ trees lining Mowbray Street, Port Douglas, between Davidson and Garrick Street.
Douglas Shire Council, admit that whilst the trees look beautiful, enhance the streetscape and provide shade for pedestrians and parked cars, they also say that they are unsuited to the urban landscape, with their surface roots being very destructive to sections of the footpath, driveways and grass pavers which provide a solid base for parked cars.
Apparently, these mature trees are also nearing the end of their life, which means the trees will drop dead branches more frequently, potentially damaging cars parked underneath, or injuring pedestrian using the path.
With this in mind, Council’s proposal is to progressively remove the Beauty Leaf trees and replace them with Narrow-Leaf Paperbark Trees.
The intended approach is to remove four trees causing the most damage and replant new trees immediately. Then in three years, replace another four trees, and repeat this so all 14 trees would be replaced by 2034.
The public had until last Friday, October 3rd, to make an official comment on the proposal, however there has already been some negativity on social media.
Others say that the 10-year transition seems to be a fair and sensible solution to the issue.
To finish our Tree Story on a positive note, I am pleased to confirm that 7 new trees have been planted at Hutchings Park in the Port Gardens / Craiglie area. Whilst tree removal, the senseless poisening of our leafy friends or sometimes just good old Mother Nature can take their toll on our surroundings, it’s good to know our caring comminity are striving to avoid a treeless future for the Douglas Shire.
I’m off for a much-needed tree hug, so for now it’s Gazza signing out.
Send your stories to: gazza@cairnslocalnews.com.au
