City Takes Dim View of Tree Vandalism

The City is recommending the Swan River Trust installs another large sign along the foreshore to cover the area where the tree had been to again warn vandals that this type of destruction will not be tolerated.

In October last year, the Trust, supported by the City of Melville, erected a 3m by 1.8m sign off Burke Drive, Attadale after about 10 trees were damaged. It was the first environmental vandal sign that the Trust had put up to discourage people cutting down trees in a bid to get better views of the river from their homes.

The recent tree damage occurred only 200 metres down the road from the sign, near the intersection Roberts Road. The eucalypt, which was at least 10 metres tall, was cut down in the early hours of 30 December 2007.

Mayor Russell Aubrey said the City needed to keep responding strongly to these selfish acts of vandalism until people realised it would not be tolerated. “We are again outraged at the damage and we need to take the appropriate action to make sure we get the message across,” he said. “Community groups such as the Friends of Attadale Foreshore work tirelessly to restore and care for this area and people need to learn to be respectful of native vegetation along the foreshore and around the City.”

Mayor Aubrey said the City of Melville understood that the people who had the sign in front of their house may not have been involved in the vandalism but the City had to take a strong stance. The sign that has already been installed will remain in place until the vegetation has regrown.

The City of Melville is encouraging all residents to report any acts of environmental vandalism along the foreshore to the Swan River Trust on 9278 0900 or after hours on 0419 192 845.