Thank you for your article on ‘The Neglect and shame of our mistreated trees’ (Feb 14-20,2019). I do not usually respond to news articles however in this instance I was so pleased to read your article as you drew attention to this ongoing issue.
I have lived over 60 years in Canberra and when I was a child growing up here Canberra was referred to as ‘the City of Trees’. The expression ‘the Bush Capital’ seemed to creep in much later. I have to say that I am appalled by the way the ACT Government has no respect for public opinion let alone Canberra public trees. Over the years I have seen contempt for our trees within the government. I have seen trees in public carparks eg,the Treasury Building, Parkes, where they laid bitumen right up and around the trunks of the beautiful big old trees that were far older than me, and then cut them down as diseased, some years later when the poor old trees were succumbing to dehydration from a lack of water that they so required for survival. I did let the Stanhope government know at the time that the bitumen needed to be cut back from the base of the tree trunks to allow rain to penetrate to the roots for the trees to survive, however nothing happened and the trees succumbed to being chopped down. I also ventured at that time to let them know also that some large old trees at the side of the Treasury Building and across the road from the National Library were in strife because the ground around the big tree trunks was being trampled and compacted and the surface roots damaged by the general public as they got on and off the buses to cross the road to come and go to the library. I suggested putting a circular metal grid around the base of the trees as is done in so many cities around the world to protect their tree roots and allow for water to penetrate the soil, however it was never done.
It seems that here in Canberra our public trees can only be seen to live 25years maximum before they are removed. In large and small cities the world over they have trees that have been respected and live anywhere up to 200 years.
So sad that the ACT government here has said that they want Canberra to be just like the major cities of the world, however, how they are thinking is of big unplanned concrete jungles, and not of the beautiful planned city of trees that we have or should I say had. Luckily in the past we had government figures and contractors who had the foresight to keep our city as a clean garden city, a legacy for us. This current ACT government seems to want to destroy our legacy quickly and without much foresight as they walk hand in hand accommodating themselves and the developers.

Dear Michael Reeves

Thank you for your learned advice – but in this case your are not quite correct.

The Downer residents are well informed and are very aware that trees come and go and that we benefit from the actions of those before us. But that does not mean we have to be disrespectful of those who enjoy the trees today – as well as the biodiversity they encourage. They are also aware of other expert advice that does not line up with the one you refer to.

People know about the development application and the requirement put on the developer (CHC) to remove the trees on Banfield Street – based on the ACT Government preferred advice. Other voices and learned experts state that while some trees are not in good condition, that rather than a wholesale removal of the trees, why not do something far more intelligent and community-focussed and put in a tree management plan to see the trees gradually replaced over time – and maintain the biodiversity and ambience of the street. Such a tree management plan should also include the maintenance of the trees to remain and the new plantings.

The trees on Banfield street have suffered because of neglect by the ACT Government over the last decade or more and again now because the workers are allowed to park under them and are causing the earth to be compacted. This compacting will hinder future plantings.

Residents are asking the government and the developer (CHC) to take more care of this cherished urban environment and put a thoughtful tree management plan into place.