Going, going and nearly gone.
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Maitland Council have wasted no time chopping into work to remove the Lombardy poplars lining The Long Bridge.
Maitland councillors voted earlier this month in favour of felling the historic trees, after a report to council found that the decaying plants should be removed due to safety concerns.
Work to chop down the poplars was undertaken on Friday night, with a collection of trunks and woodchips all that remains from the grove.
Originally planted by school children in 1939 to mark Arbor Day, Maitland council have affirmed that another batch of trees, not necessarily poplars, will be planted elsewhere.
Given the Long Bridge’s status as a flood plain, the council report stated it was “not ideal” to plant more trees in the vicinity of the bridge.
Poplars have a lifespan of about 20 years, with the trees lining the bridge believed to be offshoots of the original batch.