- Target:
- Newcastle City Council
- Region:
- Australia
Thanks to everyone who signed this petition. It's possible that Laman Street's example may lead to more rigorous arboricultural input in future similar controversial situations.
Sadly in February 2012 Newcastle City Council felled this avenue of beautiful sturdy trees in spite of community opposition and more than 13 000 petition signatures. The following was written in 2009: Laman Street is Newcastle's most beautiful street. Newcastle City Council believes the thirteen figs in the street are likely to fall down in the next five to fifteen years. They have based this on the advice of a single arborist.
The council is considering no other option than felling the trees and we believe alternatives need to be examined such as closing the street to vehicles and/or pedestrians or closing the street in storms.
As it is a non-residential and non-commercial street the chance of injury by a falling tree is remote and the trees are an integral part of Newcastle's identity.
Read more about the background of this at http://saveourfigs.wordpress.com
We, the undersigned, call on the Lord Mayor and Newcastle City Councillors to delay the removal of the Laman Street figs until community consultation has taken place, and further arboricultural advice can be obtained.
We implore the council to examine with a community design panel the full range of options available to address the future of these trees, recognising the iconic stature, beauty, value and significance of these trees to the Newcastle community and environment.
The Save Newcastle's Laman Street Figs petition to Newcastle City Council was written by Caitlin Raschke and is in the category Environment at GoPetition.