Tree planting backflip

By Laura Gilmartin
GOVERNMENT bureaucracy almost forced a young hills family to plant more than 450 trees on a half-acre Mt Evelyn property in order to be allowed to build their dream home.
Lenny Strachan recently bought the land on Falkingham Road on the basis that it was an approved housing block.
Mr Strachan submitted a planning application to the Shire of Yarra Ranges earlier this year to clear 10 trees in order to build a house on the half acre lot.
The council responded by saying the house could be built nine metres from its planned position so as not to interfere with the roots of one very large, old tree, and that nine trees could be chopped down to make space.
Mr Strachan challenged this decision.
Prior to this, the council had only referred to assessments undertaken by arborists.
The council reconsidered the application, this time, referring to an assessment undertaken by the Department of Environment.
The department stated this recommendation was in accordance with the state government implemented 2001 Native Vegetation Framework (NVF), which contains guidelines for tree removal.
Among these guidelines is the number of trees which should be planted to replace the chopped down trees.
The Department of Environment recommended Mr Strachan plant 456 indigenous plants, 15 per cent of which could be shrubs, as a condition of a planning permit.
Council recommendations stated nine out of 10 trees earmarked for removal were indigenous and five were native canopy trees.
However, an arborist report for the shire said the majority of the trees were in poor health or structure, and none of them were of high significance.
Mr Strachan said he thought the number of trees he would need to plant was excessive.
“The property is just not that big,” he said.
“My wife was diagnosed with a brain tumour two years ago and we really don’t need the extra stress caused by this.”
Councillor Jeanette McRae was in favour of the motion.
“The reality is that the vegetation framework is set down by the state government, outside of our control,” she said.
“A number of the plants can be grasses. On half an acre, there should be some ability to fulfil this recommendation.”
Councillor Graham Warren said the decision was tough on a young family trying to set themselves up.
“I was at the block today and I honestly don’t know where this family is going to plant 450-plus trees,” he said.
“If this is what the Native Vegetation Framework recommends then we need to revise it.”
Councillors voted to approve the planning permit on the condition that Mr Strachan leave a six-metre tree protection zone around a significant tree on the site, and plant 20 trees as an offset measure.