Pittwater Life July 2024 Issue

Great Ruskin tree row
Community activists
say they will continue
their vigil to protect two
mature Flooded Gums slated
for felling in Ruskin Rowe at
Avalon Beach.
Northern Beaches Council
maintains the trees need to
be cut down due to safety
reasons.
However, protesters including
Pittwater Ward Greens
Councillor Miranda Korzy say
their independent arborists’
reports reveal the 70-year-old
trees pose no safety issue.
Council contractors cut
down two trees on June 11
before protesters intervened,
giving the remaining two
trees a “stay of execution”.
The stand-off was entering
its third week as Pittwater
Life went to press.
“What the community is
saying with this blockade
is: ‘This far and no further
with destruction of our tree
canopy. We are drawing a line
in the soil.’,” said Cr Korzy.
VIGIL: Community activists say they will not give up the fight to save two
mature gum trees on Ruskin Rowe after two others were felled in June.
“We will maintain watch
over these two trees for as
long as it takes.”
She said the trees were on
public land, in a Heritage Conservation
Area, and there had
been “precious little consultation”
with residents about
their removal.
Two separate, qualified and
experienced local arborists
said the council arborists’
reports were flawed and the
remaining two trees represented
low risk, she added.\
“What these two trees
need is pruning and regular
inspections. Even the two cut
down could have been saved
with that approach, the arborists
have told me.”
Twenty-years resident Arabella
Lockhart said living with
large trees was an accepted
part of living on Ruskin Rowe.
“I’m furious at the excuse
of the trees being dangerous,”
she said. “They must fall only
once or twice a year, not constantly.
I have replaced one or
two windscreens, but I choose
to wear that risk and cost,
because the trees have given
me so much joy.”
PHOTO: NB Advocate
A Council spokesperson
said: “We continue to take
action to protect, retain and
maintain these trees so long
as they are healthy and pose
no risk to public safety.
“We need to balance our
goal of preserving trees with
the need to protect the community
when experts advise
they pose unacceptable risks.
“Earlier this year a very
large branch fell from a tree on
Ruskin Rowe, prompting Council
to investigate. Council’s
qualified arborist found that
most of the trees on Ruskin
Rowe were healthy and only
required a trim, but four posed
a serious risk and removal was
recommended. An independent
arborist also concluded the
trees needed to be removed.”
“Council will proceed with
the removal of the trees to ensure
the risk to public safety
is resolved.” – Nigel Wall
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