GREAT Lakes Councillors have voted unanimously in support of new measures to combat the illegal poisoning and removal of vegetation on Forster’s Bennetts Head Road.
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The illegal removal of vegetation, carried out by drilling and poisoning trees and spraying, has led to a dangerous scenario as the cliff edge erodes and loses stability due to the loss of vegetation.
Cr Len Roberts said the “absolute willful damage” caused by the vegetation removal was “placing public safety at risk.”
“When someone goes around and drills holes and poisons trees on a cliff edge it puts the community at risk,” Cr Roberts said.
The issue of illegal removal of vegetation from council foreshore reserves has been reported to council on various occasions across multiple locations within the Great Lakes.
Council inspection has seen the issue identified at a number of sites on Bennetts Head Road.
“When someone goes around and drills holes and poisons trees on a cliff edge it puts the community at risk,”
- Great Lakes Councillor Len Roberts
Letter drops and other education programs are often sufficient to stop minor offences, however in 2006 council adopted the Illegal Removal of Vegetation Policy to provide a process for staff to follow to respond to larger issues.
This policy allows for the erecting of semipermanent fencing and signage to prevent future removal of vegetation and support the revegetation of the area.
Council will now undertake a range of measures to support the revegetation of the cliff face including:
o Establishing temporary fencing and signage as until vegetation reestablishes.
o Hurricane style fencing with shade cloth and wooden fencing with shade cloth along eastern cliff edge.
o Employing a contractor to remove remaining weeds from degraded area and replant with identified native species
o Install new zone markers near cliff edge to identify safe mowing areas
o Re-establishment of Themada grasses in the area to restrict access to cliff edge.
As per policy the works will require approval through the submission of a development application to council.
