Ferntree Gully residents devastated after ‘healthy’ pine trees axed in Koolunga Native Reserve

Furious residents from Melbourne’s east have accused council of blindsiding the community in its decision to remove more than a dozen 80-year-old “healthy” trees from a beloved park.

Ferntree Gully residents are devastated after ‘healthy’ pine trees were axed in Koolunga Native Reserve. Picture: Supplied.

Outraged residents from Melbourne’s east say they have been left in the dark by a council in its decision to cut down more than a dozen 80-year-old “healthy” pine trees from a beloved public park.

It comes as Knox City Council cut down 14 pine trees at the Koolunga Native Reserve on Monday in a move that “shocked” many Ferntree Gully residents who accused council of “ignoring” the original plan to stagger the removal process.

Knox City Council began removing the trees on Monday. Picture: Erin Constable

Stewards of Koolunga president Barney Zwartz, who has lived near the park for 30 years, said he “wept” when he saw the trees being felled.

“We have been trying to work with council and we knew the trees would eventually go when they were sick and coming to the end of their life,” he said.

“It was a shock to only find out days before it started happening because they were perfectly healthy.”

The felling of the trees was part of council’s Koolunga Native Reserve Future Diction Plan.

Despite telling residents since 2021 that the pines would be chopped gradually, council announced 70 pines would be removed last week.

More than 40 residents lobbied the council to stick to the original plan and gradually remove the pines in a last-ditch effort to save the trees.

More than 40 residents spoke to local councillors about their outrage about the pine tree removals. Picture: Supplied.

A large area of the reserve was fenced off while the trees were being felled and removed. Picture: Supplied.

In response, councillors voted to cut down 14 of the trees and assess the regeneration process before the rest would be chopped down.

Mr Zwartz said he would like to see more community consultation about decisions at the nature reserve.

“We believe that the previous planned removal of the 70 trees, before replacement vegetation has a chance to establish, was an inappropriate way to manage the trees, which are so loved by many locals,” he said.

“It also ignored the intent of the Koolunga Future Directions Plan which sought staged removal to acknowledge current faunal use of the trees.

“The Stewards of Koolunga believe that a 10 to 15 year staged program of tree removal provides the right balance of cost-effective tree removal and that any future removal and revegetation plan should be developed in partnership with the community.”

Locals were devastated to see the trees being felled. Picture: Supplied.

A council spokeswoman said the pine trees were being cut down because of the toxins in their needles.

“Pine trees are not native and are classified as an environmental weed,” she said.

“Overlay requires us to remove environmental weeds in the reserve.

“Gradually removing some of the pines will make room for native trees and plants to flourish.”

Other residents were deeply upset when they saw the trees being chopped down.

Ferntree Gully local Beata Erkiet said hearing the trees fall was “such a horrible feeling”.

“I have never been so sad about the environment,” she said.

“I cant go there now because I just cant look at it.”