How many trees will go?

IN February 2017, a group of Mt Lofty residents sought to quantify the number of trees under threat of removal by DHA’s massive proposed development on the site of the former rifle range.

On March 4, 2017, DHA development manager, Rob Winters wrote to The Chronicle.

Mr Winters was forced to admit that DHA had retained an independent expert who found “there were less than 150,000 trees across the site” without any explanation of how that figure was arrived at.

Mr Winters thought he was reassuring us when he stated “… I can safely say the majority of these trees will not be touched…”.

Mr Winters’ letter is now copied onto our Save Mt Lofty! Facebook page.

So, on Mr Winters’ own reckoning, DHA may well be bulldozing up to 75,000 trees.

In June 2018, DHA lodged with the TRC more than 1900 pages of documents supporting its application for its proposed 344 residential lot development.

‘‘ SO, ON MR WINTERS’ OWN RECKONING, DHA MAY WELL BE BULLDOZING UP TO 75,000 TREES.

Nowhere in DHA’s 1900 pages is there any mention of DHA’s independent expert’s report nor any mention of the number of trees to be bull dozed.

DHA’s 1900 pages did, however, include its own ecological assessment report that found a 44 hectare area “in the south western part of the site” that contains “habitat critical to the survival of koalas:.

I have three simple questions for DHA:

1. How many trees will DHA bulldoze for this proposed residential development?

2. Are these trees in the habitat identified as “critical to the survival of koalas”?

3. What will happen to these koalas?

CHRIS MEIBUSCH, Mt Lofty