Push to imprison property owners who poison trees for profit

Property owners who poison trees to improve views and to increase the value of their property would be jailed under a new plan being pushed by a Sydney council.

Vandals who poison trees to improve their views will face prison under plans being pitched by one council.

Following a shocking incident that saw more than 250 trees chopped down or poisoned in front of waterfront properties at Castle Cove, Willoughby Council said that the current deterrents do not go far enough.

Next week the council will take a motion to the state’s local government conference urging for a change to the law to allow councils to send tree vandals to prison.

The council is also asking its peers for support to review whether current penalties go far enough and whether larger fines will deter the culprits.

A tree with a sign from Mosman Council pictured after it was poisoned. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“Our most recent large-scale tree vandalism site isn’t an isolated case,” Willoughby mayor Tanya Taylor said.

“We can’t be sure what the key drivers are but more needs to be done to deter this.”

Georges River and Mosman councils are likely to support such a move, as they are also facing issues with vandals.

They believe homeowners with some of the best views in Sydney are poisoning trees near their properties in a despicable bid to increase the value of their homes.

A tree has been poisoned in Queens Rd, Oatley and left residents angry. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

While councils can hand out fines of as much as $3000, offenders in two recent cases have not been punished because they were never caught in the act.

“Poisoning trees is a selfish act, which is often motivated by an offender’s desire to improve their own property value at the expense of the rest of their community members, the environment and our native wildlife,” a Georges River Council spokeswoman said.

One Georges River resident said: “People go mad for water (views). They’ll do anything. A house across the road went for $9m.” During 2022 the council recorded seven incidents of “tree vandalism”. This year there has already been nine.

Mosman Council has handed out 11 fines this year.

“Mosman Council takes tree vandalism very seriously and has a range of options at its disposal (including) prosecuting to the full extent of the law anyone involved in illegally damaging trees,” a spokeswoman said.

Fines range up to $5m with a criminal conviction recorded.

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