FOR the second time in 12 months Shoalhaven Mayor Joanna Gash has categorically denied any knowledge about a number of trees that have been trimmed or felled at the rear of her Culburra Beach property.
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Council is investigating the cutting of a number of coastal Banksia trees that have been lopped on land between Cr Gash’s house and the sand dunes.
“I don’t know anything about it and to suggest otherwise is just vexatious,” she said.
Will Mrongovius, who has had a holiday home in Mia Way for 18 years, and Sydney man Philip Quast, a regular visitor to the seaside village, discovered a number of coastal Banksias had been lopped and reported the damage to council rangers.
“I know the Bushcare group has been doing work, clearing some of the underbrush and planting 150 plants and we have been with them.’ Cr Gash said.
“To my knowledge none of the trees were cut in the area whatsoever.”
Cr Gash said the question needs to be asked why Mr Mrongovius is “constantly after her”.
“He complained when we took out trees on our property to build our home but that was approved under our development application,” she said.
“We have regenerated the area.”
Cr Gash says the trees, which are in the middle of the land directly behind her property, would not have affected the views from her balcony.
Mr Mrongovius and Mr Quast, said there was evidence of trimming of at least two large coastal Banksia trees, while another well established Banksia, Mr Mrongovius planted about seven years ago adjacent to the Mayor’s property, where recent revegetation work had been carried out, has been cut off almost at ground level.
Mr Mrongovius said it was environmental vandalism.
“It is deliberate tree trimming, there is no question about it,” he said.
Mr Quast, who raised the trimming last November with both the Department of Environment and Heritage and Shoalhaven City Council, said between 90 and 120 centimetres of the trees had been deliberately trimmed.
“The cuts are still extremely fresh,” he said.
“The tops have just been taken out of the trees. The leaves on the cut branches are still green and lush. The leaves aren’t even brittle.”
The cut branches were simply left at the base of the tree.
He said the trees were just growing back from previous attacks,with about three years recovery and growth just gone.
“This latest damage could lead to the trees’ death as they can’t sustain the regrowth,” he said.
They called on council to erect signage similar to those installed at Collingwood Beach, Vincentia declaring the damage as vandalism.
A council ranger visited the location on Friday afternoon, taking photographs and investigations into the damage is under way.
