Mike Elliott: Significant Trees

Extract from Hansard

Legislative Council
25 September 2001

Mike Elliott
Leader Australian Democrats
Member of the Legislative Council

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In reply to Hon. M.J. ELLIOTT (14 March 2001) and answered by letter on 13 September 2001.

1.&2. The Significant Tree provisions of the Development Act provide two basic categories of significant trees-

1. all trees with a greater than 2.5 metre trunk circumference in Metropolitan Adelaide; and

The second category (ie those listed in Development Plans) enables the protection of other important trees in the urban environment - for example rare and endangered species, remnant native vegetation, and so on - that are not caught by the automatic 2.5 measure. The Development Act 1993 lists the criteria by which any proposed tree, or group of trees, must be justified as significant for inclusion in the Development Plan. Preparation of a Council Significant Tree PAR is at the discretion of individual Councils.

The framework for listing significant trees in Development Plans is clearly provided in the Significant Trees Planning Bulletin, which was provided to all Councils as part of the Significant Tree Control package (released on 20 April 2000). The framework allows any tree, or group of trees, to be identified where meeting one or more of the criteria specified in the Development Act 1993. A small number of the Councils wishing to prepare a Significant Tree PAR ( including Mitcham) submitted Statements of Intent which indicated investigations clearly outside the framework established by the legislation. This delayed the processing of these Statements of Intent. I have since agreed to revised Statements of Intent as they now accord with the intent of the legislation.

Having considered requests from Councils to extend the interim controls, and in light of the limited progress most Councils have made in preparing their Significant Tree PARs, I agreed to extend the interim controls for 12 months, until 1 July 2002. This was gazetted on 21 June 2001.

3. The original proposal was to construct a slow vehicle turnout, which is a short passing lane, adjacent to the Belair Park Golf Course on the Upper Sturt Road. This would have resulted in the removal of 14 significant trees. It is also planned to widen a very sharp bend, 300 metres further along Upper Sturt Road, which involves the removal of six significant trees. Both are high crash concentration areas.

Transport SA investigated an alternative proposal of constructing a shorter paved turnout area or " courtesy bay" at the eastern end of the proposed slow vehicle turnout site, which did not involve the removal of any significant trees at that location. Although the "courtesy bay" is not as effective as a slow vehicle turnout, it will nevertheless provide a safe area for courteous motorists to pull over to allow following vehicles to pass.

Transport SA constructed the " courtesy bay" in May 2001 as an alternative to the proposed slow vehicle turnout, which resulted in the preservation of the 14 trees.

The widening of the sharp bend is anticipated to commence in early 2002, with the associated loss of six significant trees. While the removal of significant trees is regrettable, it must be balanced with the risk of road trauma. It is worth noting that Transport SA intends to replace each tree removed with 10 local species.