Outraged Fremantle locals took to the streets on Thursday to protest the removal of a century-old Moreton Bay Fig tree from the protection of the local council.
Fremantle councillors voted to remove the 130-year-old tree — which sits on private land — from its significant tree list on February 14 following a request from the landowner who said its presence was “deterring potential buyers” and creating “financial hardship”.
“This property has been on the market for a number of years and each time an entity shows interest, they are put off by the registration of the tree on the Significant Tree Register,” they wrote in council documents.
“This coupled with the downturn in commercial economy in the City of Fremantle in general, is causing me great financial hardship.”
City officers had recommended the Moreton Bay Fig be retained on the significant tree list, reporting the tree held heritage value to the city.
Cr Jenny Archibald moved an amendment to instead remove the tree, which was passed by council.
Locals have hit back at the decision, saying if the tree was ever chopped down it would deplete an already low canopy cover in Fremantle.
The City currently records 13 per cent tree canopy cover which it is aiming to hike to 20 per cent coverage.
Former Fremantle mayor and Greens MP Brad Pettit told PerthNow the decision to remove the fig from the significant tree list was a mistake.
“What I hope comes from this instead is that there is an opportunity for the council to reverse that decision and instead work with the landowner to provide the right incentives to keep the tree,” he said.
“I appreciate someone wants to redevelop this site (but) it would really set a terrible precedent.”
Mr Pettit said the decision highlighted WA’s lack of protection for trees on private property and hoped the outrage in Fremantle would spur a “fundamental rethink” within government.
“What we need now is for government to realise we’ve got a crisis of cover here,” he said.
“We need a fundamental rethink and a wakeup that says, ‘We’ve got to protect trees on private property’.”
Fremantle architect Simon Pendal said there was intrinsic financial value in retaining the tree.
“To design around these substantial pieces of landscape is not rocket science, it takes a little bit of care,” he said.
“Don’t forget trees produce oxygen.
“It provides obviously substantial benefits around shade and animal protection.”
Cr Adin Lang told PerthNow WA was “decades behind” tree protection rolled out across the country.
“The State Government really need to step up to allow local governments to manage their tree canopies in a more effective manner,” he said.
Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge defended the council’s decision, saying on social media that determining a tree’s status without the landowner’s consent could set a “concerning” precedent across the city – and scare landowners from growing trees.
“If landowners hold concern that a tree on their property may no longer be under their control, then the risk is that they don’t plant large trees or that, worse still, they pre-emptively remove significant trees,” she said.
Fremantle company Design Freo, who led Thursday’s gathering, urged the council to return the tree to the register.
“The tree should be seen as a benefit to the site, not as something to be removed. Fremantle Council should be setting the vision for a well-designed, ecologically sound, culturally rich city centre,” they said. “Our greatest hope is that the landowners and the Fremantle Council can come together to find a solution which is beneficial to everyone.”
More than 9000 people have signed a petition on change.org, asking the council to reverse its decision.