23 trees, including a ‘high risk’ one that overhangs a pressure gas tank, will be chopped down

One of the trees, which has been classified as “high risk”, is partially hanging over a pressure gas tank, and a comprehensive report has identified a number of other trees that are potentially hazardous.

St John's College Woodlawn has lodged a development application to chop down 23 trees on its campus.

A 20-30m silky oak is one of 23 trees set to get the chop at St John’s College Woodlawn.

This tree was classified as “high risk” in a comprehensive report by arborists AborSafe, which has been submitted as part of a development application to Lismore City Council for the removal of the trees.

Although the silky oak is “significant due to age/size”, some of its issues include dieback, epicormic growth, excessive thinning, previous failures and wounds.

The arborists recommended removing the tree because of its poor structure and declining health.

“Tree partially overhanging high pressure gas tank with the remaining canopy overhanging the adjacent paddock area,” the report states.

“Consider removing upper canopy back to main stem and creating artificial habitat hollows within the remaining truck ‒ cheaper and more environmentally sensitive.”

AborSafe assessed almost 500 trees at Woodlawn, and none were found to be critically or urgently unsafe.

Almost 500 trees at St John's College Woodlawn were assessed by professional arborists.

They recommended removal of 23 trees in total, including the high-risk silky oak, and 13 medium-risk trees, eight low-risk trees and one very low-risk tree.

Some of the trees slated to get the chop include:

● Three pecan trees, 10-15m, with poor structures

● A red mahogany which had a major structural root severed during water pipe repairs

● Two dead trees near the cattle yards

● “Undesirable” coral tree and a camphor laurel

● One “poor specimen” forest red gum, and another one that has “significant trunk wounds”

● A kaffir plum with poor structure

● Crimson bottlebrush that’s declining in health

● A tallowwood and a grey gum that overhang the farm classroom carpark

● A poorly structured tulip tree

● Grey gum that has had previous “failures”.

Five trees identified as “high risk” have not been listed for removal.

One of these, a 20-30m hoop pine, is having further tests done to determine the decay to sound wood ratio.

Another silky oak was listed to “consider” removing, but it was also acknowledged that this tree provided significant habitat, nesting sites and hollows.

A 20-30m flooded gum needs further inspection, while a 20m forest red gum has a significantly decayed wound and failure of this tree would impact a council road.

Further work has been recommended on a high-risk pecan tree that could see it make a recovery.