Preserving Our Heritage since 1968

The Hunters Hill Trust

The Hunters Hill Trust

Preserving Our Heritage since 1968

Laws set to fast-track tree clearing in NSW

Source: Huntingtonpost.com

Gone within our lifetime?  Image: Huffingtonpost.com

The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act is set to fast-track land-clearing approvals in response to pressure from big agribusiness and a minority of landholders.

Before the election, Premier Baird committed to “enhancing the state’s biodiversity to benefit current and future generations” but the government is now weakening our nature protection laws.

You can add your name to the petition to NSW Government calling for key changes to the Biodiversity Conservation Bill:  Stand up for Nature petition

Without urgent action, many our species of native wildlife, including the koala, will become extinct within our lifetime. Without better approaches to land management, farmers will find it even harder to provide food and fibre sustainably in a hotter, drier climate.

A street protest will be held to call on the Prime Minister to intervene.

10:00am Monday 14th March, outside Malcolm Turnbull’s electoral office, corner of New South Head and Edgecliff Roads, Edgecliff.

2016-03-11T13:11:34+11:00March 9, 2016|

Temperatures rising due to tree felling

hot womanThe loss of trees around our neighbourhoods is causing air temperatures to rise.  Research from University of Melbourne shows evidence of the impact of removing tree cover:

1227149699636  http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/north-shore/air-temperature-rise-from-loss-of-tree-cover-measured-in-university-of-melbourne-research/story-fngr8h9d-1227149699636

 

The 10/50 code is being used as an excuse for people to rid themselves of unwanted trees:  Tree clearing rule misuse

2015-02-07T22:40:03+11:00December 10, 2014|

Changes announced to tree cutting code

chainsaw_heroAfter getting more than 1,800 submissions from outraged community members, the NSW government has announced changes to the 10/50 Code that has led to mass destruction of trees – regardless of threatened species legislation and tree preservation orders.

The entitlement area has been reduced to 100m for Category One and 30m for Category Two vegetation. The previous area was 350m and 150m respectively. The online mapping tool on the NSW RFS website has been updated:  Vegetation clearing map.   Heavy penalties apply to people who clear vegetation without authorisation.

Since 1 August this year, residents whose homes are located in designated ‘bushfire prone’ areas have been free to:

o   Clear trees within 10m of their house

o   Clear shrubs and other vegetation, except for trees within 50m of their house.

There will be a review, but we still need a MORATORIUM:

Contact Minister Ayres (office@ayres.minister.nsw.gov.au ) and the Premier (diary@premier.nsw.gov.au ).  Details:  Ayres Media Release 10-50

2015-02-07T22:40:28+11:00November 27, 2014|

5 minutes to save the beauty of our neighbourhood?

chainsaw_hero

If everyone who appreciates the trees that make our neighbourhood beautiful gives 5 minutes of their day, we  can stop the needless destruction that is happening now.

Call Anthony Roberts:  9817 4757

Call Minister Stuart Ayres:  8574 6500

urge them to call for a moratorium on chopping down trees.

It is easy to do and very effective.

 

trees for the chop

YESTERDAY: beautiful angophoras

Look on the trees in front of the white house immediately to the right of the boatshed for the last time.

The tree people removed the angophoras immediately in front of the house last week.

after treecutter

NOW : stripped bare

The house at 35 Bonnefin Road was designed by Alex Popov, who arranged the plan specifically to protect and keep these trees.

2015-02-07T22:40:52+11:00November 25, 2014|

Stop the destruction of our trees

good planet hard to find

Write a short message to the NSW Rural Fires Service before Friday 14th November.  RFS is reviewing the 10/50 Code that has allowed people to cut down trees that are within 10 meters of their house, without approval or any justification.  Send your message to  10.50@rfs.nsw.gov.au.

stumpOR use this link:  making a quick submission today provided by the Nature Conservation Council.

 

2015-02-07T22:41:20+11:00November 11, 2014|

Moratorium on destruction of trees

beforeThe 10/50 clearing code is transforming our area.  The ‘garden suburb’ can so easily be destroyed, with no impact on bushfire safety.

The Hunters Hill Trust urges the government to take immediate action by declaring a moratorium on clearing before the beauty and character of the neighbourhood is further damaged.  Our submission to Stuart Ayres MP, Minister for Police and Emergency Services is available:  here.  Send your own letter based on this template.

See more about what has been happening to mature trees in our locality:  lost trees

 

2015-02-07T22:42:45+11:00October 18, 2014|

new Code threatens to destroy character of Hunters Hill

Recent changes to the Rural Fire Service Vegetation Clearing Code leaves the tree cover and bushland of Hunters Hill vulnerable to destruction. We have been landed with a simplistic, destructive response to a complex problem.

Because of its interface with the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers, much of Hunters Hill’s unique character contributes to the wider character of Sydney harbour so it is recognised by the Sydney Regional Environmental Plan (Sydney Harbour Catchment) 2005.  This aims to protect and rehabilitate watercourses, wetlands, riparian corridors, remnant native vegetation and ecological connectivity.

Of course we need to mitigate the potential impact of bushfires but this Code is not the way to do it

  • The ‘fire prone lands’ have been vastly extended but there is no master plan or overall maps for people to view
  • Indiscriminate and uncontrolled clearing will have a disastrous impact on heritage values and character.
  • The impact on biodiversity, bird and animal habitat and wildlife corridors will be serious.
  • Now that professional assessment and oversight has been removed, there will be more accidents, property damage, soil erosion and water pollution.
  • Heritage items and significant trees now have no protection.
  • The code undoes years of work to educate people of the importance of trees and vegetation in their gardens.
  • Property owners can now pressure their neighbours to clear vegetation with the threat of a hazard complaint, leading to fights and disharmony.
  • The code overrides Council’s tree and vegetation management controls.

Get more information and see if your house is included in the new zoning:  Vegetation clearing tool

The Greens have outlined their objections: Green’s submission.  Voice your objection to Stuart Ayres, the minister responsible:  office@ayres.minister.nsw.gov.au

2014-08-23T21:16:06+10:00August 23, 2014|

We are now free to destroy bushland WITHOUT improving fire safety in NSW

Rural Fire Service 10/50 Clearing Code of Practice

New State government fire safety rules now allow people in designated areas to remove any tree that is within 10m of their house and vegetation up to 50m from their house without any approval. This overrides any LEP, tree preservation order or DA condition regarding tree preservation etc and came into effect on August 1 2014.

There is no overall map to show the location of these 10/50 areas, so it is almost impossible to make an overall assessment of the impact of the clearing code.  You have to enter each individual address into the RFS web-tool to check (see  RFS tree and vegetation clearing).

Boronia Park LC riverMany parts of Hunters Hill are affected, including areas covered by SREP (Sydney Harbour Catchment) 2005, which is specifically designed to protect the natural assets (e.g. bushland) around the harbour.

Property owners can now ask their neighbours to clear trees that are within 10m or vegetation within 50m of their house.  If the neighbour doesn’t remove or prune the vegetation then the property owner can make a hazard complaint to the RFS.

The changes:

  •   Are not supported by the State’s expert Hazard Reduction Audit Panel
  •   Do not address actual bushfire risk and give a false sense of security
  •   Reduce interaction between fire experts (RFS) and landowners and occupiers
  •   Damage environmentally sensitive bushland across the State with no substantial impact on safety or ongoing bushfire risk.

More information:  submission to Rural Fire Service.

Email the Minister for Emergency Services, Stuart Ayres MP, the Member for Penrith:  office@ayres.minister.nsw.gov.au

2015-02-07T22:42:03+11:00August 12, 2014|

We are a volunteer community organisation with over 50 years’ proud representation on behalf of the residents of Hunters Hill, advocating for our suburb’s unique heritage and environment.

If you would like to donate to our cause, your contributions will be greatly appreciated and very carefully used.

Donations can be via bank transfer to: CBA Bank; BSB 062000; Acct 16211909, or by cheque payable to Hunters Hill Trust sent to PO Box 85, Hunters Hill 2110.

Please email us at huntershilltrust@gmail.com so we can acknowledge your kind contribution.

Go to Top