Study warns of treeless towns
Study warns of treeless towns
7 September 2009
published by www.theage.com.au
Australia — Land-clearing rules passed by State Parliament last week have the potential almost to completely denude towns in the Dandenongs and Upper Yarra Ranges, according to an RMIT University analysis.
Environment and planning professor Michael Buxton said new land clearing rules, intended to make properties safe from bushfire, seemingly were approved without an understanding of their potential effects.
The analysis was made from an aerial photograph of a 4.6-hectare area of Upwey and shows that of its existing 262 trees, only 12 are safe from being felled under the new rules.
Professor Buxton said he was astonished when he saw the results of the changes, which were analysed by RMIT’s mapping section.
”What this does is clash with policies going back 30 years that were designed to have a balance of safety and vegetation,” he said.
”The worry is this seems to be a knee-jerk reaction aimed at getting political kudos without regard for the consequences, and the consequences are severe.”
He said there had been no evidence to the Black Saturday Bushfires Royal Commission of the need for the broadscale clearing the changes allowed.
The changes enable residents to clear trees within 10 metres of houses, and within four metres of fence lines, without a permit.
They were introduced as amendments to the Upper Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges Regional Strategy Plan last week, and also apply across Victoria except in 20 Melbourne metropolitan councils .
Professor Buxton said he believed that the local tourist industry, which depends on scenery as a selling point, would be worried by the new rules, which could destroy the area’s appeal.
Louis Delacretaz, spokesman for a newly formed residents group called Living with the Bush, said the new rules could destroy areas of great significance at Mount Macedon, Eltham and the Mornington Peninsula.
He said expert evidence to the royal commission was that the presence of trees gave some protection to homes and other buildings.
Mr Delacretaz said his group would lobby the Government not to gazette the new rules which, Premier John Brumby has said, were in response to comments on talkback radio.
”We already have the ability to cut over-hanging trees and manage fine fuels near the house,” Mr Delacretaz said.
”I don’t know if [the Government] understands the depth of feeling within the community about this.”
A Government spokesman said no one was obliged to remove any trees or vegetation, and the state was facing a bushfire season potentially worse than last year.
”The Government makes no apologies for pushing ahead with swift, practical changes that will enable landowners to better protect their homes and properties,” he said.
The Government expected residents would strike a balance between local amenity and providing for their own safety. The new amendments clarified existing provisions which had been in the planning scheme since 1991.
The spokesman said the Bushfires Royal Commission would not be making any recommendations on vegetation management before the next bushfire season.