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Precious trees disregarded

JULIE WATTS, Watermans BayStirling Times

The City shows a wanton disregard for the preservation of trees in all of its localities.

In Scarborough, unit owners have been ripping out old gums and tuarts, leaving the occupants with bare concert yards for their children in summer.

In Watermans Bay, popular for its trees, every new build involves the complete stripping of the land. All this is short-visioned and out of step with environmentally enlightened attitudes of other councils.

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Imagine Nedlands, Dalkeith or Darlington allowing the destruction of the reason for their popularity.

There is a movement afoot to begin the planting of trees in cities to combat the heat stress caused by the increasing heat waves that hit us each summer.

The temperature under the leafy canopies is many degrees lower than areas outside it. They are umbrellas for heat.

Not only is Stirling council allowing residents to cull significant trees willy-nilly, it is doing that itself.

How was the destruction of the trees in the old Carine Tafe precinct allowed to happen? That shouldn’t be possible.

When my daughter studied architecture at UWA, they didn’t study Perth ” they studied Sydney because Perth has been stripped of its heritage buildings (in the name of progress) ” only a few remain ” not enough to study.

How sad is that?

Moreover, just like City of Stirling’s statement that new trees and shrubs will be planted at Charles Riley, these buildings were replaced, and the charm and history of Perth forever diminished.

Trees are also architecture ” they are living, breathing architecture whose presence has recognised effects on our limbic system ” they ground us, they calm us, they are a mediation in themselves.

They need to be protected and celebrated as something of worth in our suburbs.

What will your legacy be, City of Stirling?