News

In the edition of the Western Suburbs Weekly, there was coverage related to pruning scheduled to take place on Buckland Hill.

To clarify this situation, please note the following.

Mayor Pollock: In regard to Buckland Hill, Council's Conservation and Management Plan was created after extensive consultation with nearby residents, the Leighton Battery volunteers and the Friends of Mosman Park Bushland, and we have sought to balance all of their interests.  This has created a Plan that caters for conservation of the environment and the preservation of heritage at the Leighton Battery site.  The limited pruning approved for this site will be done with great sensitivity, will not adversely affect the local bird habitat and will encourage smaller native shrubs to thrive.

Background

The following questions and answers were provided to Jon Bassett of the Western Suburbs Weekly prior to the publication of the story on Thursday 13 2020.

Q: Could Mayor Pollock please reply to the question why the Council would proposed to fell trees when it is seeking to increase and retain vegetation in areas such as Pt Roe and the park along Rocky Bay?

A: The Town has a strong desire to retain trees and vegetation where possible, as well as promote healthy vegetation. However, the Town also acknowledges the need to balance this desire against competing values such as in this case to unencumber historical views from the Leighton Battery, which is a heritage site of state and national significance.

Q: Are any of the tree proposed to be felled those in what the BHCMP describes that the hill’s ‘threatened ecological community’ of Callitris preissii or Melaleuca lanceolata, and if yes, what is the council’s justification?

A: The Threatened Ecological Community (TEC) in Buckland Hill covers 2.21 hectares, of which 0.11 hectares is subject to the clearing permit. Unencumbering the views will be approached in the most sensitive way possible, with pruning done where possible and only resorting to removal where absolutely necessary. The Department of Water and Environmental Resources endorse this approach.  The Town has applied for a permit from them for these works, and a decision is not expected until 6 March 2020.  This permit is based on the approved plan for this site (which was developed in consultation with community groups including Friends of Mosman Park Bushland and the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Society WA inc (Leighton Battery) in 2019.

Q: Are any of the trees to be felled protected Rottnest island tea trees, and if yes, what is the council’s justification?

A: The “Rottnest island tea trees“ referred to are actually the Rottnest Island pine (Callitris preissii). These Rottnest Island pines form part of the TEC.

Q: Your application says there were those who wanted no vegetation removed, and some who wanted more.  Who were both these groups?

A: It is not our place to speak on their behalf but our understanding is that the Friends of Mosman Park Bushland are in favour of retaining all native vegetation, while the Leighton Battery would like to remove some vegetation to allow for the historical views of the original site, which is being restored with grant funding from the Town and from the State Government.  Some nearby residents would like to see additional vegetation at the site removed to reduce bushfire risk as well as increase safety through better passive surveillance due to break ins and other opportunistic crime that occurs at the site.

Q: Have the trees to be felled already been identified, and if not, why?

A: The areas are defined in Figures 148 and 149 of the Buckland Hill Conservation Management Plan. The areas are where the height of the plants need to meet a height of 1 to 5 meters, depending on distance from the observation post and elevation of the site. To achieve the height management as outlined in the plan, it is likely we will not need to removal as many as 45 trees, however the permit as requested in its current form will allow to the Town to achieve the outcomes as they appear in the plan.  The Plan itself was subject to extensive community consultation at all phases of its development.

Q: Why did the council not include a clearing permit offset proposal in the application? And, were any considered, and what would they have been?  (i.e Where could have you planted 45 trees to offset the clearing?).

A: The Buckland Hill Conservation Management Plan outlines revegetation works that offset the clearing, and the continuing rehabilitation of Buckland Hill. It was felt that this served the purpose of clearing permit offset proposal. In addition to offsetting the tree removals, the Town has committed to ongoing revegetation of the site, as well as other activities that will increase the quality of the vegetation on site as part of a broad management approach that includes heritage as well as preservation of the environment.

Q: How many new trees, shrubs and plants are proposed to be planted in the cleared areas?

A: In the areas cleared, as well as surrounding areas at the Buckland Hill site, the Town will be planting 2,000 shrubs and plants that meet the height restrictions outlined in the Buckland Hill Conservation Management Plan. The pruning and tree removal will be staged over two years with the intention of removing as few trees as possible.

Q: How much will the pruning and felling cost overall and over what period?

A: The Town’s intention is to undertake strategic pruning in year one to see what can be achieved without proceeding to removals. This is estimated to cost less than $1,000. In year two, trees requiring removal will be progressed, at an estimated cost of $2,000 - $3,000 depending on what was able to be achieved through pruning in the previous year, but these are indicative figures only.

Q: Council is aware of a rare native cherry near the observation post maybe one of the last in MP - and whether this could be removed in the proposal?

A: There is no mention of a “native cherry” in the Buckland Hill Conservation Management Plan, but a Priority 3 Beyeria cinerea subsp. cinerea was located in Buckland Hill. If this is the species referred to, it is not located in the area covered by this application. Also, it grows to 50cms and would not need to be pruned in order to meet the height restrictions.