Cottesloe trees dying to give some shade

COTTESLOE Council says trees that were planted in winter to create a beachside forest-like environment and test shading the town’s foreshore are not dying.

“The trees aren’t dead, they are wind burnt and they are expected to recover once the seasonal strong ocean breezes subside,” a council spokeswoman said.

This week, the public contacted the Western Suburbs Weekly with concerns about the timing of the test of four nodes of Rottnest tea tree and coastal sheoak, planted along 200m of coast opposite the Sea View Golf Course, that appeared brown, dead or dying.

In July, node advocates Crs Helen Sadler and Lorraine Young said the sites could be used by families for picnics, sightseers and tourists on calm days.

Today,the spokeswoman said trees had shown both some wind burn and new growth when they were recently inspected.

She said the coastal species had been selected for seaside conditions, were being watered three times each week and higher windbreaks for their protection would not be installed.

“The species is a Causarina obesa, salt sheoaks, and they are expected to recover, and all plants need some initial time to acclimatise when planted straight from nursery stock,” she said.