Tree Vandalism- The Outcome

So the outcome was to be expected really with four Councillors supporting the motion and nine against. The debate as reported on radio was mostly mature and not the usual ridicule and lambasting that occurs in the chamber- maybe because it had been a somber evening of unusual outcomes - maybe because there was genuine interest in debating the issue.

Some of the debate went like this.

Clr Proudfoot: Thought that the very thought of putting up screens was extreme and obscene when it was the trees themselves that were the problem and needed to be cut down.

Clr Brumerskji showed his mocking immaturity when he described the screens as bunches of sheets between poles that would make the city look bad.

Clr Guile- wondered how it would look to visitors when we are perceived as being a pristine and sometimes iconic location ( i.e. Jervis Bay)

Clr Ward, pointed out that there were considerable penalties for anyone who was caught tampering with vegetation and that ought to be enough.

what did emerge just after the debate was that one of the most hotly contested areas of Jervis Bay- Collingwood beach, was one of the original Soil Conservation success stories of the late 70's early 80's. After severe storming and beach erosion events in 1974, the beach side residents were so concerned about the safety of their homes that they worked with government departments to return vegetation to the totally naked front dune- the homes along 1500m of beach were severely exposed, sand was drifting across roads and blocking up infrastructure such as storm water outlets and generally being a nuisance. The active management of the dunes and the reestablishment of vegetation was heralded as a great success.

Another point of view that I hadn't considered was how beach front property owners felt who lived with tree vegetation vandalism in front of them which they hadn't caused and how they felt guilty just by association and how uncomfortable it was to have people walk past and point at their homes in an accusatory manner.

What I had to reiterate throughout last nights debate is that using screens isn't the answer in every instance only where education and management had failed to deliver results and there was continuous vandalism from known parties who rangers couldn't catch.

I don't want to walk our beaches and look at screens, I want to admire a lovely landscape, enjoy glimpses of wildlife, sit in the shade of a tree to escape the heat of the day, swim in crystal waters and not have to look at eroded dunes with houses perched precariously a la Belongil beach style.