City of Darwin under fire for ‘decimating’ local trees

Council has responded to criticisms its contractors are overdoing its nature-strip pruning program.

RATEPAYERS and City of Darwin are at odds over a supercharged nature-strip management program that has left some residents in the suburbs angry and bewildered.

Council contractors have raised eyebrows with their enthusiastic interpretation of council rules around kerbside vegetation but City of Darwin says the pruning is essential to keeping down costs.

Rapid Creek resident Simon Andropov on Friday demanded the contractors stop pruning a tree in front of a school near his home because it provided shade to students riding their bikes in the neighbourhood.

He said former Lord Mayor and the man after whom the Botanic Gardens are named, George Brown, “would be turning in his grave”.

“I said to the contractors ‘stop decimating that tree’. There’s no children that are going to hit their heads on it as they go under. They’re simply not that tall,” he said.

“I’m concerned the tree loppers are coming in and decimating trees we planted with love 40 years ago at the top end of our street. We nurtured the trees through dry seasons, we watered them and looked after them.

Rapid Creek resident Simon Andropov is furious at council tree-loppers.

“We sort of feel we’re responsible for them only to have these absolute butchers coming through decimating them.

“We’ve got a school opposite (St Paul’s) and the students ride their bikes through the tree canopies which are nice and green. In these days when we talk global warming and climate change and making oxygen for the world, for City of Darwin to come along and cut these trees is an absolute shame.

“We prune the nature-strip every year with snippers, making sure it’s high enough for children to walk and ride their bikes through and even the rubbish truck goes under and doesn’t damage trees and they’re pretty high. If a rubbish truck doesn’t take the branches off it should be okay.”

City of Darwin defended its nature-strip management program, saying it is a matter of public safety.

“City of Darwin encourages everyone to look after their verge but it is Council property so we carry liability for any accidents that occur on the verge,” a spokesman said.

“One of the most common legal actions against council relates to people getting handlebars tangled in foliage hanging over the verge.”

The spokesman said a vegetation free corridor of 1.5m wide by 2.5m high is required on footpaths and a height of more than 4.5m is required on the kerb onto the street.

He said the nature-strip crews were contractors and not paid per tonne of foliage removed.