Ruskin Rowe, Avalon Beach: Community blockades council from felling 70-year-old gum trees

Residents have rallied on the northern beaches to create a community blockade to halt the council from chopping down old gum trees that it says have become a serious danger to the public.

Residents and supporters at the community blockade at Avalon Beach on Friday to prevent Northern Beaches Council contractors from cutting down two 70-years gum trees in Ruskin Rowe. Picture: Jim O’Rourke

Angry residents, environmentalists and supporters are holding a community blockade to prevent Northern Beaches Council from chopping down 70-year-old gum trees.

Dozens of protesters gathered at Avalon Beach early on Friday morning to halt tree felling contractors from ripping into two towering eucalypts growing on Ruskin Rowe.

The contractors had already removed two other large trees in the street earlier this week after the council deemed a total of four trees were a risk to community safety after they recently shed large, heavy branches.

A car was badly damaged by a falling tree limb.

Contractors, and their vehicles were in the street well before work was supposed to start at 7am. They left at about 8am, telling protesters they were called away to another job — and would be back.

Paul Johnson, a long time resident of Ruskin Rowe, who organised a community blockade to prevent Northern Beaches Council contractors from cutting down two 70-years gum trees. Picture: Jim O’Rourke

But resident and blockade organiser Paul Johnson said on Friday, as he continued his vigil under one of the gums, that the council should not be removing the trees, but managing their growth.

“The council is punishing these trees for what they naturally do, and that’s drop branches,” Mr Johnson, a schoolteacher at Bilgola Plateau Public School.

“We have to adapt to their environment, not the trees adapting to ours.

“We are in their environment and they simply need to be properly managed and trimmed, not removed.”

India Schiller (left) of Careel Bay, and Aina Ibrahim, of Cromer, sit at the base of one of the trees identified for removal. Picture: Jim O’Rourke

Mr Johnson was backed up by Northern Beaches Councillor Miranda Korzy, who was at the blockade.

Cr Korzy said the she and he protesters had advice from another local t arborist that the trees simply needed pruning and regular inspections.

“We will not allow them to be destroyed, leaving a huge gap in Avalon’s urban forest.

Residents and supporters have parked their cars close to the targeted trees to prevent contractors from getting their heavy machinery near the gums. Picture: Jim O’Rourke

“These trees are on public land, in a Heritage Conservation Area, and there has been precious little consultation with residents about their removal.”

After the car was damaged, the council asked its arborist to check the street. The arborist found that most of the trees were healthy and only required a trim, but four of the trees posed a serious risk and recommended their removal.

An independent arborist, who climbed the trees to make closer assessment, also found that they needed to be removed.

Resident Arabella Lockhart with one of the trees identified for removal in Ruskin Rowe. Picture: Jim O’Rourke

Northern Beaches Greens convener Evan Turner said protesters planned to blockade the trees until the council met a list of demands including not heeding feedback from the local arborist; explaining why locals were not consulted; ensure an project ecologist was on-site to assess if native species are present in the trees and how to safely relocate them.

Residents and supporters at the blockade on Ruskin Rowe at midday on Friday. Picture: Jim O’Rourke

The council asked a third arborist to review the assessments of the council’s arborits and the independent tree expect. This expert also recommended the four trees be removed.

It said it notified residents and has met with concerned members of the community.

Resident Arabella Lockhart, who has lived in the street for 17 years, said the trees were used by threatened species including powerful owls and sugar gliders.

“I understand that tree bracnhes come down, but you’ve statistically got more chance of being injured falling out of bed,” Ms Lockhart said.