21 October 2015

I’ve repeatedly raised community concerns about destructive pruning of street trees with the government. In the inner city, street trees may be the only location where there is enough space for mature trees to grow, but this is also where electricity and telephone cables are located.

Aerial bundling of cables can reduce the need for pruning, but councils have to request and pay for this. Ausgrid should be doing this as a matter of course in densely populated inner city areas.

Ausgrid is now consulting on its tree pruning program, information available HERE. Unfortunately this material presents this as a choice between trees and safety and security of electricity supply. I recommend sending a message with your views because this should not be an ‘either or’ situation.