MAITLAND City Council has issued a public plea for residents to keep an eye on local trees after up to 30 trees were seriously damaged in a deliberate act.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The vandalism occurred at Wallis Creek, near Rathluba Lagoon, and it is believed someone attacked the trees, mostly ironbarks, using an axe or something similar.
Ironically, the news comes just a week after council announced its success in securing an $100,000 grant from the NSW Environmental Trust.
We really need to preserve it. Biodiversity is at the centre of everything
- Donald Ferris
Labor councillor and horticulturalist Donald Ferris said the vandalism highlighted the importance of protecting our local ecosystems.
“It does happen everywhere and the environment isn’t spared. It’s very concerning,” he said.
“Council have managed to have a win for the Maitland environment and secure the funding. Now it will be put straight to controlling weed, planting trees and promoting this rare ecological community.
“Credit where credit is due. Maitland punches well above its weight when it comes to securing grants.”
Maitland City Council received the grant for Restoration and Rehabilitation from the NSW Environmental Trust to protect the Lower Hunter Spotted Gum Ironbark Forest at three reserves in the area.
The Lower Hunter Spotted Gum Ironbark Forest is an endangered ecological community that is noted as having approximately 10 per cent of the estimated pre-European distribution left.
“It means the whole community, not just one particular species, is under threat from various things including intensive agriculture, coal mining, residential developing,” Cr Ferris said.
“The Hunter is such a great place to live, and so there are a huge amount of people trying to live or make a buck here.
“It’s a terrific part of the world but unfortunately we are wreaking havoc on what used to be here, and unfortunately there are fewer strains of this endangered ecology.
“Biodiversity is at the centre of everything and it’s easy to forget that when people are more worried about their next house or what roads going to get them to work quicker.
“We really need to preserve it.”
The grant will be used over three years for weed management, public education and engagement, and enhancing the ecological community to protect it as habitat.
