Save the last street tree in Cordelia Place

At the City of Wanneroo Ordinary Council Meeting on 23 April 2024 the majority of councillors agreed to remove a gum tree (smooth-barked apple tree, Angophora costata) located in the street verge of Cordelia Place, Alexander Heights. This was due to a request from a resident via a petition signed by 12 residents. 

This decision contradicts both the City of Wanneroo Urban Forest Strategy (2022) and the City of Wanneroo Street Tree Policy (2018), which state clearly that street trees should only be removed under certain conditions. None of these conditions apply to this particular tree.

We ask the City of Wanneroo councillors to please reconsider this decision.

We believe that EVERY tree matters.

• Street trees are located on State owned land, owned and managed by our local councils.
• A street tree provides amenity to its street’s residents, visitors, and the neighbourhood, typically over decades; when property ownership on average changes every 7-10 years.
• This tree is particularly significant as it is healthy, it is the only mature street tree in its street, it provides valuable habitat for birdlife, and its height means it is part of the landscape of the wider neighbourhood.

The canopy coverage of Alexander Heights is 7%, which is well below the international standard for a liveable healthy community of 30%. The low coverage increases the Urban Heat Island Effect for the area.

The long hot summer and numerous heat waves that the south west of WA has just experienced plus the increasing impact of the polyphagous shot-hole borer means Perth’s urban forest is facing two new serious impacts that will reduce its number of trees significantly. The Alexander Heights tree has survived the hot summer, it is a tree species that seems to be resistant to the shot-hole borer. An arborist has assessed it and deemed it to be healthy.

The decision to remove this tree sets an appalling precedent for the City of Wanneroo. We request that the policies designed to safeguard street trees and the officer’s recommendations are applied so as to save this tree and to send a clear message to the community that the Council understands and will honour the vision of its Urban Forest Strategy and street tree policy.  

Please sign this petition to let the City of Wanneroo councillors know that this tree should NOT be cut down!