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Almost 80 trees have been earmarked for removal from the Armidale campus, spurring students into action.
By Kirstie Chlopicki
Students and staff at the University of New England have reacted strongly against the decision to remove 78 native trees from the campus and are calling for the demolition to cease immediately.
Contractors began removing the first of the trees on 8 January, following what the university has called a“ rigorous assessment process”, but students say the habitat trees are too valuable to lose.
The group, Save UNE Habitat Trees, has since been founded to oppose tree removal on campus.
“ All of the trees removed were locally native species of eucalyptus regularly used as habitat by koalas and nesting sites for many different species of parrots,” spokesperson and PhD botany student Tim Collins said.
“ All trees had stem diameters between 1m and 1.8m, suggesting they represent part of the original vegetation existing before the settlement of Armidale in the early 1830s.
“ The removal of 78 habitat trees across the campus will have a significant impact on the local wildlife. The trees and the animals that use them have also provided
Trees felled at the University of New England. Photo: Tim Collins
Fight to save UNE trees
an important visual appeal to all staff, students and visitors to the campus for over 60 years.”
In a statement, the university’ s chief operating officer Professor Peter Creamer said the removal was a last resort following professional advice that the trees posed a hazard to people and property.
“ We maintain the UNE campus grounds partly for aesthetics and wildlife, but our ultimate responsibility must be to human safety,” Creamer said.
“ We cannot ignore the advice that 78 of the 5800 magnificent trees we have on our campus register now represent a genuine safety threat, and that the only option left to us is the trees’ removal.
“ We understand that trees are one of the defining features of the UNE campus. They define its aesthetics and are habitat for the university’ s remarkable wildlife.
“ With this in mind, we will be this year replacing the 78 unsafe trees with 500 native trees planted in groves, with the aim of creating corridors for native fauna.”
Creamer said mitigation work such as pruning and lopping had been undertaken beforehand, and an aerial assessment was conducted.
“ The final decision to remove the 78 trees was made after years of work to try and save them, and on the basis of strong scientific evidence of their unsound state,” he said.
“ All trees destined for removal will be inspected for wildlife, and relocations made if necessary. The university has complied with all legislative requirements with regard to the removal of the trees, including habitat assessment and wildlife relocation.”
Students remain unsatisfied with the university’ s decision, and said not enough care had been taken to minimise the impact on wildlife.
“ An assurance was given that wildlife found sheltering in tree hollows would be relocated, but in practice, virtually no effort was made to relocate wildlife,” Collins said.
“ Trees have been felled and after crashing to the ground, were cut into large segments and immediately fed into a powerful chipping machine.
“ There are currently no stated plans to incorporate nest boxes into the remaining campus trees and the opportunity to collect seeds from felled trees was not considered or not taken.
“ The stated intention to plant‘ a grove’ of 500 native tree seedlings does nothing to address the habitat loss from the much older trees, as tree hollows are estimated to take over 100 years to form.”
The group has stated that it does not dispute the existence of heartwood rot in some of the trees and the assessment of arborists, but maintains there were alternate options that could have been taken.
“ We are deeply concerned that UNE management have taken the most destructive approach to moderating the risk of injury and damage from falling branches,” Collins said.
“ There are alternatives to tree removal. Most of the remnant trees on campus could be retained and rendered safe by a combination of signage, exclusionzones under tree canopies, and moving bus stops, carparks, park benches and other points of congregation away from potential danger. Reducing the length of branches considered at risk of failure is also a method of risk mitigation that has been used successfully at UNE for many years.
“ I have been talking to a group of staff and current and former students. We request that all tree removal currently being undertaken cease immediately, and risk mitigation be undertaken in consultation with staff and students as part of the development of a sustainable landscape plan.”
UNE has been contacted for further comment. ■
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