DEAR News Of The Area,
IT WAS very disturbing to read in July’s EcoNetwork newsletter about the controversial Shoal Bay carpark proposal on crown reserve land.
I am shocked by the lack of community consultation, transparency and a design that seeks the removal of beautiful, mature, iconic trees that are part of Shoal Bay’s heritage, in a place whose very identity, desirability and tourism is centred around its natural beauty and heritage.
Although it’s been framed as an attempt to balance competing needs within the community, it appears fairly evident that the removal of all 27 mature trees (bar one) including a number of iconic native species for 100 car parking spaces (550 smart parking spaces already allocated for Shoal Bay) is economically driven, even though the heart of the community is based around nature.
These are high value trees, original remnant bushland, in good condition that should have been heritage listed or at the very least registered by Council as “significant trees”.
Blackbutts can reach 200 years in age.
More needs to be done by Council to retain them with a redesign of the proposed car park… or by finding a more suitable alternate location for additional parking – like sealing off a section of the Council-owned caravan park which is little used throughout the year.
Thank you to EcoNetwork for raising these local issues and public awareness of the huge sacrifice to the heritage and amenity of the area that such trees have provided over many decades… for more intermittent holiday parking.
When natural features like these trees are destroyed, a large part of our collective history and culture is also destroyed… in just seconds.
The trees are losing their physical space and we are losing the physical manifestations of their history, culture and identity. Trees have no voice. To whom can they appeal?
If the Council is not dedicated to protecting and preserving its own natural heritage, then it’s left to us as responsible stewards to speak up, and petition our representatives at local and state government level.
Council should be setting the example for nature conservation, especially of mature native species, and particularly following the spate of attacks/vandalism on so many big trees in the area rather than contributing to more wide scale destruction.
The people have spoken and as stated in Council’s liveability report, the number one community value is the natural environment.
The TRRA have previously emphasised the need to keep the area green in the Shoal Bay Place Plan – requesting more tree cover for reserves , shade, cooling, carbon capture as well as more maintenance of existing trees – to be funded from the revenue of 550 smart parking meters.
The most distinctive asset of Shoal Bay is its natural environment; framed by a national park and still relatively uncorrupted compared to more rapidly changing areas around the bay.
However it is now under increasing pressure.
Nature still dominates here and so every effort should be made to retain its unique character and natural heritage.
Some of the native trees in question have been there for my lifetime and parents’ lifetime (now 92) and should be retained for future generations as inter-generational equity.
They are a link to the history and natural heritage of the area and are an insurance that every tree grown is going to outlive us and benefit those who follow behind.
Read www.ecops.au/shoalbay-carpark for more details.
Sincerely,
The Morrow family,
Fingal Bay.
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