THE Environmentally Concerned Citizens of Orange (ECCO) has objected to a cull of native trees along Forest Road, concerned the loss will have lasting impacts for a valued bird species.
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President Nick King said ECCO received a number of phone calls from the community since removal of up to 38 trees began along the road verges south of Huntley Road to make way for road upgrades and more parking.
Mr King said the use of those trees were critical for the superb parrot, a Commonwealth-listed threatened species, which migrates to Orange in September and breeds before moving south.
“It diminishes their habitat,” he said.
VIDEO: Trees being felled on Forest Road on Thursday ...
Fellow ECCO member and wildlife ecologist Peter West was reassured when council staff told him four of the oldest trees would stay.
“But I feel within the proposal [for the car park] they could have left one in 10 or one in five,” he said.
Mr King said the council had previously done commendable work on maintaining the parrot’s habitat, with hollow tree trucks erected along Bloomfield Road, nesting hollows at Gosling Creek and nesting boxes in Hinton Reserve and Black Sallee reserves.
“It’s disappointing that on the one hand, they’re doing great things and on the other hand choosing to ignore the data,” he said.
Council spokesman Nick Redmond said the council had to balance environmental impacts against the need for the upgrade.
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“Does driver and pedestrian safety need to be improved? Do we need to improve parking at the city's busiest sporting precinct? Do we need to improve access to the existing hospital and the proposed private hospital?” he said.
“Simply arguing to save trees doesn't cover the other issues that council must address.”
Mr Redmond said all trees were assessed and a number of the trees were too young to have nesting hollows, while the car park’s construction would affect tree roots and water flow.
He said due to the road widening, a table drain had to be moved west and some trees were in the way, but with other underground services now located, another four trees might also be saved.