The Memorial Seat That Once Provided A Resting Place In The Shade On Bald Hill Rd.

As a consequence of the removal of the trees on Bald Hill Road on Tuesday and Wednesday the ‘memorial seat’ has been removed.

Council advises that the seat is temporarily removed while the works occur.  It will be reinstated following the works.

As they say,"Watch this space!"

Question's On Notice To Launceston Council

As a consequence of council management’s action in order to facilitate the installation of a stormwater drain and in regard to the removal of three healthy trees that were 50 plus years old,  all of which had local significance, a number of questions arise.

In regard to council’s fundament requirement of accountability and it’s obligation to be accountable to its constituents for decisions made on their behalf ... CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE QUESTIONS

DEVASTATION ON BALD HILL

This work (vandalism rather) proceeded without a Development Application going council. It does make wonder about Launceston Council commitment to the Minister's GOOD GOVERNANCE GUIDE.

Somewhat intriguingly West Tamar Council had not been contacted by Launceston regarding the available options in regard this matter even though at this point West Tamar Council had formed no opinion. However, they did say IF contacted they would be prepared to work with the City council in looking at options/alternatives. This was encouraging but in quick smart time the City of Launceston's worker turned up with chain saws at the ready.

It’s especially encouraging that there is a local government jurisdiction that is indeed committed to working with communities towards win-win. More so, given that there was advice at a site meeting that your West Tamar Council isn’t (or wouldn’t be) interested in being involved albeit that many West Launceston residents and ratepayers will/would regard the loss of these trees as a loss of their amenity – and for many different reasons.

Whilst This project is a Launceston Council ‘operational matter’ it comes with the impediment of non-engagement with ‘the community’ and the largely untested assertion that they, the community, are “not really interested”. Given that no DA Notice has ever been posted on the site such assertions can only be hollow and they, on the evidence, seem to carry with it the risk of it being a convenient self-serving assertion(?).

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

Stormwater management in Tasmania is increasingly gaining the attention it needs and even in Launceston Council’s jurisdiction significant gains are being made. It is just the case that in this instance the imperative is, it seems, on  the evidence, to move this water through the landscape as fast possible. 

This is contrary to what is regarded overwhelmingly as “best practice” in most ‘water-wise’ jurisdictions – albeit that there is sluggishness on the uptake in many instances.

By way of example, Launceston's council expended, and needlessly, a large amount of ratepayers’ money excluding stormwater from the landscape and speeding it on its merry way ultimately to add to the pollution of the river. Thankfully that approach is changing but not yet on Bald Hill Rd it would seem.

Given that you West Tamar Council has now demonstrated that, as a council, it's prepared to talk to Launceston Council one can only hope that in the best of all worlds a win-win for constituents will be found at some time but sadly not now.

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

TREES: A VALUATION METHOD

INTRODUCTION TO THE THYER TREE VALUATION METHOD 

The Thyer Tree Valuation Method was developed in Sydney, Australia during 1984. It was distributed for public use in 1985 and there have been minor modifications since. The method is summarised and presented as a one page worksheet for ease of use. Personnel engaged in tree valuation should be qualified, experienced and knowledgeable in arboriculture and landscape assessment. They should also be trained in the use of this method. 

The method allows the calculation of monetary values for trees. It was designed to value trees on public or community owned land in city, town and suburban locations. It is assumed that tree values may be affected by the zoning and permitted uses of the land on which they grow. The method is not intended for use within bushland areas, or on rural land except near residences.

The valuation is an expression of the positive qualities of the tree, the contribution that tree makes to the landscape, and the extent to which this is appreciated. The calculated value is a statement of the importance of the tree to the environment and human community, not just to the owner of the tree. Owners and neighbours may calculate different values depending on their opinion of, or problems with a tree. Values calculated for trees on private land indicate the value of those trees to the community.

Damage caused by the tree, cost to repair that damage, and cost to repair or remove the tree must be valued separately.

The method combines four factors to establish a Significance Index for each tree : 

1. Size measures of height, side view of canopy area, dripline diameter, and girth. 

2. Age of the tree. 

3. Physical assessment of the tree and location. 

4. Social benefit and how the tree is appreciated.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

WHAT VALUE A TREE?

Indeed how do you value trees? Apparently there are trees on some kind of register at Launceston Council but how they get on the register is a total mystery. 

Even more mystifying is how these trees get a dollar value.

Councils these days are populated with all kinds of ‘experts’ but what kind of training might you need to equip you to put a dollar value on a tree – goodness knows. 

To be sure there would be a dollar value relative to the timber in it, the fuel in it, the amount of mulch you might be able to recover, the fruit you might be able to harvest, etc. But for a street tree, how do you put a dollar value on them? 

If a tree presents a serious risk it is perhaps worth something to someone as income for the 'risk removal'. If the allocated budget for a project is say $160,000 – as it is/was(?) understood that it was/is – the percentage allocated to ‘tree removal’ might well be their value. 

Anyway it would be interesting if someone could estimate the value of this particular set of trees on whatever basis.

Apparently this sort of thing takes too much time and nobody cares anyway ... apparently

What about tourism amenity?

Launceston's Cataract Gorge is without doubt the city's major 'tourism drawcard'. Therefore cutting down three majestic eucalypt trees on a tourism route would constitute a special brand of vandalism that would exceed by far say any "inappropriate graffiti" along such a route. 

Quite aside from being 'inappropriate' here it would represent laziness not to mention the questions it might raise about who might benefit from 'the work'.  IF "no one" why do it?

Given that we are in the midst of worldSILLYweek deciding to cut these trees down this week without thinking about it would be an example of HIGH SILLINESS!!

REST AWHILE AND BE THANKFUL AND COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

THE COMMEMORATIVE TEXT FOR THIS RESTING PLACE IS
    "REST AWHILE AND BE THANKFUL AND COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS"

I got an email this morning and I would like to put my support behind saving these beautiful trees. I'm aware that someone paid for and installed that seat for people to rest on in the shade half way up the steep section of Bald Hill Road. The trees provide shelter all and provide crucial habitat for the lovely native animals such as birds, possums and insects. Removing the trees would be an unnecessary act of environmental vandalism.

Any idea what species they are as I believe some may well be critical habitat for numerous animal species?

I have also sent an alert to a group of eminent and passionate local naturalists who are also involved the the "Friends of Trevallyn"  a volunteer group who undertake valuable work in Trevallyn in local reserves and in association with the local primary school.

I trust that local outrage will snowball to prevent their removal

Cheers
Concerned Citizen

BTW: The trees are approximately 50+ year old  Eucalyptus viminalis – Manner Gums ... great habitat trees

A Cultural Landscape Under Threat On Bald Hill Road

It seems that the idea is in fact that nobody cares? It also seems that this notion evolved somewhere else in "the community" and it has been deemed that in this community nobody cared about this place otherwise why would it look the way it does? Well, this is an untested idea!

So, rather than stir up dissension in order to complete an allocated $160K project on Launceston's CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAM (not and emergency project) apparently it was assumed that a DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION (DA) wasn't required/needed/wanted/appropriate/whatever. Rather, a single advertisement was placed in The Examiner alerting anyone who actually saw the advertisement that three trees were going to be removed along with an invitation to contact Council if anyone had a concern. This site is in response to that advertisement and the 'class of marketing' it characterises.

Well there is a concern about the manner in which a 'cultural landscape' is about to be "devastated" and more so by the potential loss of three 50+(?) year old Eucalyptus viminalis – Manner Gums. Most concerning is the apparent lack of planning and community consultation given that these trees exist in what is clearly a landscape with various layers of amenity attached to it.

However equal to the aesthetic amenity it can be argued that these trees play a significant role in stabilising the bank upon which they are located. Moreover, the bank, given that it is the outcome of circa 1950s road construction work for the Trevallyn Dam. It has become, arguably, albeit by some kind of evolution of land settlement etc., an element in 'stormwater filtration' for stormwater that ultimately finds its way into the Trevallyn Rivulet – now enclosed and running under the Trevallyn shops.

Importantly, a large percentage of the stormwater passing through this area originates in the West Tamar Council area. Also, it is now better understood in civil engineering that returning stormwater to the landscape in urban environments is more and more important.

What is being characterised as a simple management issue here is in fact more complex and of interest to a diversity of residents on Trevallyn and in the adjoining West Tamar Council area.

The removal of these trees is reported as being urgent except they are threatening nothing more than an expedient plan. It is claimed that there is a plan to replant the bank but no such plan has yet been drawn up and possibly its not budgeted for either. The mitigation of the loss of amenity seems far from the current imperatives driving the implementation of a plan – arguably an underdeveloped plan.

Clearly it is time to stop, take a deep breath and put a Development Application up to Council and the people who have various attachments to, and interests in the place, the trees, the aesthetic amenity of the area, the better management of stormwater and possibly other things that a NOTIFIED DA will alert management to.

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE