Protesters angry after Adelaide City Council recommends removal of 11 street trees for Lot Fourteen
Protesters — including 10-year-old Amber Grant — have left an Adelaide City Council meeting in anger after a decision to chop down the historic elm trees on North Tce.
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Amber Grant says 11 historic trees on North Tce “have the right to live” and plans to do everything she can to save them from the axe.
Amber, 10, who attends Walkerville Primary School, is making a stand against the removal of the trees, which are set to be razed for an upgrade of Lot Fourteen’s frontage, and has collected more than 230 signatures in protest.
She has also made herself a sign, which she campaigned with outside Town Hall on Tuesday night, and is looking at making a deputation to Adelaide City Council next week, marking her first public speaking appearance.
Amber has had to explain to her friends and school principal why the trees were worth retaining, and spent one day collecting signatures.
She said she was determined to “win the fight” and keep the trees alive.
“I love the environment and it is very important to me,” Amber, of Hackney, said.
“They are just making a bigger pathway (at Lot Fourteen), and I don’t think that is necessary.
“When my mum found out about their removal on Facebook, she told me about it, and I knew it was my time to shine and stop them from being removed. We will win this fight.”
At a committee meeting on Tuesday night, Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor and seven councillors voted for their removal, angering about 12 protesters, who left the chamber yelling at elected members.
Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor told The City after the meeting the council wanted to retain the trees but there was no other way to progress with the project.
“It was a hard decision and emotive one,” Ms Verschoor said.
Amber, who first took an interest in the trees after seeing a lorikeet nest in one last year, was disappointed with the outcome.
“Sadly, most people wanted them to be cut down, I was frustrated by that, I want to show these trees have a right to live,” Amber said.
The State Government last month revealed a significant tree and 10 elms needed the chop and were nearing the end of their natural life.
The trees’ removal is the next stage of the council’s 2001 North Tce Masterplan, which has been delivered in stages since that time.
The State Government last month revealed a significant tree and 10 elms needed the chop and were nearing the end of their natural life.
Cr Robert Simms said the large trees helped cool the area, were healthy and part of history.
He maintained there had to be another way to design the area.
“I don’t accept the suggestion from Renewal SA that this is the only option …. to knock down 100-year-old trees,” Cr Simms.
“That would be an act of environmental vandalism, so don’t sign the death warrant for these trees.”
The trees’ removal is the next stage of the council’s 2001 North Tce Masterplan, which has been delivered in stages since that time.
In 2005, council approved the removal of 34 trees on North Tce and, in 2009, 33 were removed.
The pavers used in this upgrade would kill the root system of the 11 trees.
A government arborist said the trees had about eight years left, while a council arborist said they had at least 20 years with proper care.
Cr Franz Knoll believed removing the trees at the same time was better than doing it in an “ad hoc” manner as they die.
“I would rather (we remove trees) in a uniform way so these trees can mature together … rather than have a variety of different forms and sizes — that won’t give us that impressive promenade we are looking for,” Cr Knoll said.
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“The fact the (State Government) has come back and said they would plant 40 trees in that area that are 6.5m (high) means we will have immediate canopy. It will be something for generations to come.”
The council will make a decision next week.