The way the trees at Dubbo have been cut by Essential Energy is “enough to make a man cry”, according to Dubbo councillor John Walkom.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
“To see what they’ve done to the trees in Bourke Street, what they’ve done to the trees in Macleay Street, the jacaranda trees, the beautiful jacarandas they’ve just been absolutely butchered,” Cr Walkom said.
“Along Macquarie Street there were some beautiful trees along there and what they’ve done to them, it’s enough to make a man cry.”
The issue was raised during a recent council meeting by councillor Allan Smith, who described the way the trees had been cut as “just murder”.
“They may as well have taken these trees away, they’ve destroyed them. They’ve destroyed them,” Cr Smith said.
Essential Energy manager community relations- northern David Crough said the company’s contractors were qualified in all aspects of vegetation management.
“Where possible [they] undertake tree trimming in accordance with Australian Standard AS4373 (Pruning of Amenity Trees),” Mr Crough said.
“Occasionally however, their practices can vary to accommodate the physical location of particular vegetation or to comply with the Electrical Safety Rules and legislation such as the Electricity Supply Act 1995.
“Like most power companies in Australia, Essential Energy uses directional pruning techniques that remove branches growing towards a powerline and encourage re-growth away from the power network.
“While this can affect visual amenity, these techniques are considered best practice throughout the arboriculture industry.”
Cr Smith said Essential Energy was working very rapidly, but some of the trees had been left with the “greatest lean you’ve ever seen on them”.
“They haven’t even bothered to cut the ‘v’ in them, the old traditional ‘v’, they’ve just chopped one side of them. You’d swear they were going to fall over,” he said.
“I think some of these trees will recover, some will recover and look like they’re disabled and some will not recover at all.
“We at council get told on no uncertain terms if we try and take a street tree away. If we take a tree out of the streetscape, we’re the boogeyman.
“I think essential energy and their contractor, whoever it may be, need to provide an explanation as to why they are trying to destroy the streetscape in our community.”
Cr Walkom said the way the trees had been cut was appalling.
“They’re butchers. Whatever their trade is it’s certainly not lopping trees in a professional manner because if I was paying them and that was happening they wouldn’t be getting paid, they’d be getting shafted and I’d be letting somebody else in.“
He said the way the tress had been cut showed a lack of respect to the community and to council for the many decades of work they had put into the streetscape.
Mr Crough said Essential Energy was obliged by law to make sure tress and other tall growing vegetation were kept clear of powerlines to maintain minimum safety clearances and protect public safety and power supply reliability.