Manly Council attempts to save trees after vandals leave trail of destruction

MORE than thirteen trees lining the coastline of Manly Cove have been poisoned with the trail of damaged trees stretching from Federation Point to Delwood Beach.

• Hope yet for poisoned tree
• Residents outraged after Jacaranda tree poisoned
• Manly Council and police investigate Clontarf Reserve

TREES lining the sweeping coastline of Manly Cove have been poisoned with the trail of damaged trees stretching from Federation Point to Delwood Beach.

In all, 13 trees have been destroyed that include 11 Banksias, one melaleuca species and a coral tree.

A nearby resident said she thought the trees may have been attacked quite a while ago and the damage was only appearing now.

“Those trees have been dead for 18 months to two years,” she said.

“I would say someone has done something to that whole area.”

Trees at Clontarf Reserve were attacked by an axe back in 2014.

The resident said she ­noticed last year only a small portion of the coral tree was flowering.

“That coral tree is beautiful, it normally sheds its leaves during winter time then when summer comes all the greenery comes and it has got a coral flower.”

“Last year a lot of it was quite bare and the section up the top was not flowering.”

The Jacaranda tree that was allegedly poisoned back in Clontarf late last year. Picture: Troy Snook

A Manly Council spokesman said the council has used signage and letterbox drops to raise awareness and encourage community monitoring and reporting of tree vandalism.

“Affected trees are also being remediated using watering and carbohydrate treatments,” he said.

The council is urging anyone with information to contact staff on 9976 1500.

Manly has been plagued with tree vandalism over the last few years.

Clontarf has been continuously targeted — the worst attack was on 17 Norfolk pine tress which were hacked with an axe and poisoned at the reserve.