BAYSWATER has implemented a new tree canopy protection policy but environmental advocates say its effects will be “questionable” given its carve-outs for most residents.
The Tree Retention Policy, which was passed 5-4 by council earlier this year, was based on a WALGA policy which regulated trees more than eight metres high, with a six-metre canopy and a trunk of 1.5 metres on private property.
After community consultation, the policy was revised exclude existing residents from having to consult the council before cutting down regulated trees.
City of Bayswater deputy mayor Elli Petersen-Pik says the policy is “not perfect” but that it strikes a “middle-way approach” that focuses on developers and won’t affect ordinary residents.
“The intention is to slow down developers from automatically clearing all the land, and commence conversations with developers to find out whether some of the exiting large trees could be kept in front yards and backyards of new developments,” Cr Petersen-Pik said.
“Most of our tree canopy is lost on private property, more than 80 per cent, also due to developers completely clearing land sometimes years before any development occurs… we will see it happening more and more everywhere in our City.
“We consulted on the draft policy twice and received significant community feedback… each time, the majority of respondents supported the proposed changes to the policy and focusing on restricting developers.”
• Bayswater councillor Elli Petersen-Pik says the new policy is the “middle-way approach” to protecting tree canopy.
WA Tree Canopy Advocates treasurer Wendy Garstone labelled the new policy’s effect on tree retention “questionable” given its carve out for most residents, which she says is a “huge compromise”.
“If an owner has a mature tree on a single house property, and they don’t like the tree in any way, for example leaf and fruit drop or the neighbours complain about it, the owner can remove the tree,” Ms Garstone said.
“The other thing is, there’s a lot of properties where people have bought the property with a single house, with the intention in 2, 5, 10 years to develop, and they can just plan ahead and cut the trees down whenever they like.”
“The fact is, the WALGA template was about three years in preparation, there was collaboration with officers from many councils, WALGA sought legal advice, it was very thoroughly prepared… ignoring the need to have cooler suburbs by that majority of councillors who do not believe in a need to protect mature trees on private property.”
Ms Garstone says the policy was “another reason why we need statewide regulation” of tree canopy protection.
“Ignoring the need to plan for cooler suburbs by local government councillors across WA because they don’t believe in protecting mature trees on private property shows WA needs the state government to take a strong lead regarding the urban forest,” she said.
“It does lead to lack of guidance; if local government, councillors, and community have to debate all of this… it’s kind of ridiculous when you’ve got a state government that has got more power.
“The important thing is that the council needs to find a way to quantify its effectiveness, and that means they need to track mature trees that are removed from single house properties… in the meantime, we’re losing trees each year.”
According to Cr Petersen-Pik, Bayswater also supported a register for regulated trees to protect them from future development.
“[The register will] advise any prospective purchasers that a property contains a regulated tree so that they are aware of it in advance,” Cr Petersen-Pik said.
“[It] will provide us with important figures and allow us to assess the impact of the policy.”
by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER