NATURE STRIP TREES

I have struggled over the last 6 years to have a gum tree removed from our nature strip. Initially the only issue was that the tree roots kept lifting up and busting the footpath (picture a broken pyramid shape in the middle of a flat footpath).

Called ACT government to come and look because a kid had stacked their scooter into it. They said that they couldn’t do anything to the tree but would replace the path. When the concreters came, they found it funny because they had to lay the concrete over the large tree roots and said that it would be busted up again within a few months. Sure enough – they were right.
A few weeks after this, someone was knocking at our door to tell us that there was gas smell coming from near the tree. Called the gas folk and it turned out the tree roots had hit the pipe – but after they repaired it, we were still not allowed to have the tree removed.
5 months later, I got a call from our neighbour to say that a speeding motorist had ploughed their car into the tree. Luckily no one was hurt but what a great opportunity to press for the tree to be removed! Wrong!!! When the guy in charge from ACT government came out (he has since retired), he said that he was familiar with the tree and the problems that it had caused, but that the car accident hadn’t shifted the tree in any way and so it wouldn’t be removed.
Another ruptured gas pipe and another new footpath, but still they won’t budge.

Being a well established tree, I assume it was there when you moved into your property, so I don’t think you have much of a case.

Nature strip trees are community assets and not something which should be dictated by the whims of individual leaseholders.

It’s Christmas; cut it down, chop it up and if questioned, say someone took it to sell as a Christmas tree. Simple.

Now some would say to drill many small holes in the tree and use a syringe to fill them full of Roundup. But I wouldn’t of course, because that just isn’t right.

Ring bark??

Thanks all.

Nifty dog, your suggestion is worth looking into as is yours RandomGit.

Gertel, it was the only way to not sound like a greeny. I do appreciate all the effort you put into your reply though. Very imaginative.

Looks like the problem will be around for a little while yet.

What is the colour of a two cent piece?????

Otherwise take your tree to Limestone Ave in Ainslie and some drunk, bogan, p-plater will run it down next week.

ROFLMOL

So true!

But please tie Lowe and Carney to it 1st

Copper nails will work, but you just need a lot more copper for a bigger tree – so it’s more likely you will get done for intentionally damaging the tree. Other methods such as the salt might be a better option, or maybe scraping back a bit of the bark and painting on straight glypho. Otherwise take your tree to Limestone Ave in Ainslie and some drunk, bogan, p-plater will run it down next week.

Wost case scenario cut it down yourself, and take the $20K fine on the chin.

I’d prefer pines dropping needles to gums which tend to drop branches…

What idiot planted Pines on a naturestrip?! Radiatas grow enormous. I quite like them and in fact dug up some little ones from that area wehre they’ve now got rid of them all, next to Pialligo Ave, grew them on and now they’re about 3 feet high and about to get planted out as a windbreak (maybe this evening, in fact).

but they’re really not suitable for confined areas like suburbs. Their needles killing everything underneath is useful in some situations, but not in someone’s garden! And since it’s a naturestrip, you can’t even pave it and turn it into a patio area.