Lack of dibber-dobbers forces Mosman Council to install $17k anti-tree vandalism sign

RESIDENTS of an exclusive suburb have called an anti-tree vandalism sign an “environmental monstrosity” but council says after “the worst vandalism” in 10 years it had no choice.

Mosman Council has built a huge anti-tree vandalism sign in Julian St to ward off tree vandals in the area of Joel’s Reserve and residents are upset about the sign. Council would remove the sign if it received information from the public about the tree vandals. Picture: Virginia Young

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A LACK of help from the public in finding who has been killing a stand of trees has led Mosman Council to erect a $17,200 sign in Joel’s Reserve after what it says has been “the worst case of vandalism” in a decade.

Council staff said the damage to the trees “has been unprecedented and sustained”.

Mayor Peter Abelson said there would be no need for the sign if people had come forward with information and the vandals identified.

The Mosman Daily reported last September about council plans to erect the sign, to be in place for at least five years.

The large Mosman Council anti-tree vandalism sign in Julian St which has angered residents in the area of Joel’s Reserve. Picture: Virginia Young

The reusable Julian St sign has been on display for about two months.

Residents in the area of Joel’s Reserve say they are “outraged” by the “environmental monstrosity” and a group distributed flyers with a template letter demanding the removal of the sign.

The flyer also asks people to attend Tuesday’s council meeting.

Councillor Abelson met the community group at the site in early March and answered its 13 questions by letter.

Mosman mayor Peter Abelson met the upset residents at the site in early March.

The mayor will raise the sign issue at the council meeting.

“Along with councillors Bendall and Corrigan I met with some 30 residents,” Cr Abelson said.

“I advised that I was there simply to learn their views and that I would respond in detail to a consolidated set of questions.”

The group issued a statement which said they “loved trees and abhorred tree vandalism”.

“The number of trees injured appears to have been grossly embellished by council and requires further investigation,” the group said.

“The sign blocks views of trees; it does not block water views.

“We are against environmental vandalism.

The flyer which a group of residents distributed in protest at the anti-tree vandalism sign which Mosman Council installed in Joel’s Reserve in Julian St.

“The sign is of an unprecedented size — eight metres tall by three metres wide — and has been installed in a beautiful area for an unprecedented period of five years or more.

“It appears that this is the new Mosman Council standard.

“It is designed to punish; punishing many innocent residents in a highly punitive and heavy-handed manner.

“We believe that council does not realise the extent of the ill will among many Mosman residents to the highhanded attitude of council employees nor how it is affecting ratepayers’ attitude to the proposed amalgamation.

“We would accept the usual practice of installing a cloth banner for 12 months to serve as a warning to tree vandals.”

A tree poisoned in Mosman to improve water views in Spit Rd. Photographed in 2004. Picture: John Grainger

Residents can apply to council to prune public trees to improve private views.

Cr Roy Bendall said Mosman’s natural environment was what made the municipality so desirable.

“When residents resort to self-help, the community suffers collectively,” he said.

“Although I understand residents’ desire to improve views of our magnificent suburb, systemic abuse of our reserves should not be tolerated because it inevitably affects everyone’s property values,” he said.

Tree poisoning is a longstanding problem in Mosman. A dead tree at Beauty Point photographed in 2004. Picture: Jim Trifyllis

A council spokeswoman said council has for many years worked successfully with residents in streets such as Coronation Ave and Delecta Ave to provide a balance between the natural bushland and views of the harbour.

“Council is aware of the letterbox drop having received feedback from residents disappointed at the vandalism in Joel’s Reserve,” the spokeswoman said.

A council officer estimated at the April 12 council meeting that responding to residents’ concerns about the Julian St sign would have cost council more than $10,000 in the past three months, if a private consultant had done the work of council staff.

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