A council plan to protect Perth's trees will be rejected by WA Planning Minister John Carey despite overwhelming community support, the ABC understands.
I think were are caught between the need for increasing density and the need for maintaining and increasing tree canopy.
The way to get both is not by haphazard battle axe infills. That gives only slightly higher density at the expense of most of the remaining canopy. Just look at what's happened in the inner south east Belmont through to Cannington.
We need medium density and more parkland. Which is virtually impossible to retrofit over suburbia.
Theres also a need for people to change their attitudes towards trees. Value them more for their benefits when alive. Make people think for more than a moment before rippin out their chainsaws.
That is what surprised me. King's Park is one of the largest inner-city parks in the world.
New suburbs with no substantial trees, or only small establishing trees, are going to tip the balance toward lowest tree-canopy numbers..
The idea to retain trees and pre-existing growth in new development areas is a step forward. The clear-felling for new suburbs at the moment is such a mood kill on the area.