Supporters save tree from loppers

News filtered through to supporters of the 200-year-old Healy Road tree last month that it was to be placed on Cockburn’s significant tree register and that BP would install a fence to stop vehicles parking or driving in the area.

Little more than a year after she woke to the sound of chainsaws preparing to chop down the treasured tree, Amanda Joy said supporters had achieved a great result.

‘To me it’s a huge relief that we have been able to save this tree. It took four months sitting under the tree and a year of work but we have achieved what we set out to do.’

But despite the tree now standing safe and proud, Ms Joy said there was still work to do. She said the 12-month battle had uncovered deficiencies in regulations governing the clearing of native vegetation, which she and other supporters would be aiming to amend to stop similar incidents occurring in the future.

Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren said she had recently surveyed all metropolitan local governments about tree protective measures. The results of the survey and suggested mechanisms to strengthen tree protection would be released soon.

‘This might seem like a lone tree, but it has been a lightning rod for this community’s drive to protect our precious urban environment,’ she said.

‘Precious aspects of our neighbourhoods are often overlooked by new developments.

‘In this case, we were lucky enough to hold back the worst outcome, but the tree was still damaged before anyone could stop it.’