Media Release

29 November 2004

Council Draws out Removal of Fig Trees

Randwick Councillors have essentially extended the removal period for the beautiful but contentious Hills Figs street trees at last Tuesday night's Council meeting.

The Council agreed to measures that will essentially extend the removal time for the figs from a 10 year period to a 20 year period.

Greens Councillor Margaret Woodsmith said after the meeting,

"The Greens simply believe that a 10 year removal period will have too much of an impact on the amenity and ecology of many of our streets. How on earth can you expect replacement plantings to recreate the canopy cover of a street if you pull every fig tree out of it in only 10 years? We must have 20 years! Some of these beautiful trees should never be removed anyway."

Mayor Murray Matson signalled that the Green's will soon be proposing a new Council policy that would be called the "Urban Forest Policy".

He said,

"We the Greens will soon be proposing a new tree policy to Council that will reinterpret how Council should go about determining the true of the Council's trees to the community."