By Alesha Capone
Wyndham council is branching out in a new direction.
The council is calling on residents to nominate trees on public land for potential inclusion in the Wyndham Significant Tree Register.
The council has introduced the register to help protect historic trees in the municipality, and will amend the local planning scheme so that anyone wanting to remove, damage or lop a registered tree would need to apply for a planning permit.
More than 120 trees, including some which are more than a century old, have so far been nominated for the register.
Wyndham’s environment and sustainability portfolio holder, Cr Heather Marcus, said anyone wanting to nominate additional trees for the register had until the end of the month.
“So far we have seen some excellent heritage trees nominated, including a 120-year-old peppercorn tree, a 70-year-old sugar gum tree and even a 150-year-old river red gum,” she said.
A river red gum on Riversdale Drive, Tarneit, which has an estimated age of about 230 years, has also been nominated for the register.
The resident who nominated it said: “It’s on my way to my running track, I love this tree when it’s sunset time. [It] Looks so beautiful and I have pictures of it on my computer and mobile too.”
Cr Marcus said the register would identify and support the protection of significant trees on land owned or managed by the council.
The council’s website states that in the future, councillors will consider including trees located on private land on the register.
Anybody looking to nominate a tree that they believe is of significance is encouraged to do so by Sunday, March 31.
To view which trees have been nominated, or to nominate a tree, visit www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/significanttreeregister
