Call to protect trees

A Baw Baw Shire councillor wants answers about why trees listed in Drouin’s significant tree register continue to be lost to residential development.

Cr Tricia Jones has called for a report on the impact of the Drouin precinct structure plan on vegetation and specifically on trees listed in the Drouin significant tree register.

She said the report needed to address how planning regulations could manage vegetation removal so that Drouin’s character was protected in accordance with the PSPs vision.

Cr Jones called for the report in the wake of trees being removed along McGlone Rd, Drouin to allow for the road to be widened for a 154-lot subdivision.

She said she wanted answers on why trees were continuing to be lost from the Drouin landscape.

“Why does this occur? We need to preserve and protect what the community holds dear.

“How often do we say we don’t want Drouin to look like Pakenham,” she said.

A planning permit was issued in February to the developer of a 154- lot residential development on the Drouin golf course site.

The trees were removed from the road reserve to allow McGlone Rd to be widened.

Council said the applicant minimised vegetation loss and officers allowed the standard road width to be reduced so that an additional 178 trees could be retained.

Cr Jones said the PSP stated Drouin’s rural character was defined by its relationship to the surrounding landscape.

The Drouin PSP identifies a number of objectives for preserving Drouin’s rural character including protecting the identity of individual settlements by maintaining the integrity of existing green belts.

Cr Jones said surveys and community consultation had continually reinforced the importance of the natural environment to Drouin residents.

“The trees we have been trying to protect have been removed and they are on the significant trees register.

“This situation must not continue to occur. The Drouin community feels like it is losing everything that is unique to them,” she said.

Cr Jessica O’Donnell said trees were an integral part of the environment.

She said the trees were removed legally after a permit was approved.

“But we need to have an understanding of the impact this is having and the devastation that lies ahead if we don’t do something about it,” she said.

Cr Keith Cook said Drouin people were concerned about losing their trees.

He said trees in road reserves were community assets.

“One day machinery turned up and within hours the trees and stumps were gone. People have asked why,” he said.

Cr Cook said council needed to review the PSP guidelines to ensure native vegetation was protected.

Cr Darren Wallace said he wanted to know how the PSP interacts with the significant tree register.

He said he wanted to see regulations tightened so trees could be saved.

The report will be presented to council by July 8.