Protest to save 'cockatoo habitat'
Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 7:40 
Carnaby's Black-Cockatoo. Image by Ian AshbaughProtestors have hit out at the City of Canning over plans to fell more than 150 gum trees in Manning Road amid claims they were important foraging habitat for the endangered Carnaby's Black Cockatoo.
About six protestors, including Thornlie "tree man" Richard Pennicuik, converged on the median strip between Lawson Street and Leach Highway this morning in a bid to stop contractors going ahead with the removal.
Contractors moved in at 6.45am, but stopped work soon after, with the felling later called off for the day because of the total fire ban in place in Perth.
The council voted twice last year to remove the trees, some of which are decades old, after being petitioned by nearby property owners complaining that the tree roots were creating cracks in the road and on their properties.
However, Save the Trees spokesman Alex Jones said the council could prune the trees and resurface the road.
"They don't have to remove these trees," she said.
"We're seeing it throughout the metropolitan area. Our tree service people are turning into wood chippers.
"They're being given the go ahead to do that by our councils. The councils are supposed to be looking after our assets and our assets are not only roads and footpaths, they're our trees.
"This is the frustrating thing about it. It's not about this council or that council, it's happening throughout the metropolitan area."
Chris Phillips, from Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Preservation Society, said the lemon-scented gum trees were a very important foraging habit, especially for Forrest Red Tail and Carnaby's Black Cockatoos.
"The council are telling me they're got advice to the contrary," he said.
"Well, I happen to be an expert in the field and I'm telling them they're wrong.
"This row of trees is the best thing about Bentley, it's the best thing about Manning Road and if they remove them it'll be hot, dry and the information that I've got is that they're going to replace them with the same species anyway."
"Removal of native species across the entire Swan Coastal plain in the metropolitan area is a growing concern. It's happening every day and there doesn't seem to be any protection."
The council has yet to respond to questions, but it is understood that the contractors will return to the site tomorrow morning with the work to resume pending weather conditions.
City Parrots
Protesters strapped to Manning Road trees
Protestor George Oelsnik remains up a tree on a platform. Astrid Volzke/The West AustralianFour people have been arrested – all for breaching move-on notices - at a protest on Manning Road as residents try to stop the City of Canning chopping down 158 trees.
Activist group Forrest Rescue arrived at the site, which stretches between Lawson Street and Leach Highway, about 5am this morning.
George Oelsnik, 18, climbed one of the trees and remains on a platform in the tree’s canopy.
Other protestors, Ashley Cockrane and Matt Sandell, handcuffed themselves to the undercarriage of two tree lopping cherry pickers, preventing workers from using the equipment.
Tactical Response Group police were called to dismantle parts of the cherry pickers to get to Mr Cockrane and Mr Sandell, both of whom were arrested.
Black Cockatoo Preservation Society general manager Chris Phillips was also arrested after he approached a tree as it was being felled.
The fourth protestor, Monty, was arrested on the median strip where she had helped erect a banner.
Michael O'Brien / The West AustralianForrest Rescue spokesman Cameron Johnson, who has just returned from a five-month stint protesting the proposed gas processing hub at James Price Point, said they learnt of the trees’ removal from Mr Phillips last night.
"I think it’s criminally disgusting," he said.
"This is very important feeding habitat for Carnaby’s and Red-tailed Cockatoos. Both of those species are critically endangered, there’s not very much food out in the wild for them at the moment due to all the bushfires and the rampant native clearing that’s been going on.
"If we keep going like this we’re going to see an extinction episode."
Canning chief executive Mark Dacombe has said the Department of Environment and Conservation, including principal zoologist Peter Mawson, advised that no cockatoos were roosting in the trees and the felling would not affect their habitat.
Mr Oelsnik said he would stay in the tree for "as long as it takes".
"There’s not many trees and they were going to chop them down, so I thought 'hey, I want my part (in stopping) it," he said.
Despite the protestors’ attempts to stop the trees removal, work crews are continuing to cut down the trees.
The council decided to remove the trees, at a cost of at least $108,000, in March last year after more than 160 residents complained that cracks in Manning Road from tree roots were creating traffic vibrations that were damaging their homes.
A 238-signature petition to reverse the decision was voted down, despite Canning mayor Joe Delle Donne admitting two separate vibration studies were inconclusive.
He said the council was "not prepared to subject residents to these concerns if there was a viable alternative".
Save the Trees spokeswoman Alex Jones said yesterday the council could prune the trees and resurface the road.
"They don’t have to remove these trees," she said.
Astrid Volzke/The West Australian
City Parrots
Trees felled as protest goes on
Conservationists have vowed to keep up their fight against the City of Canning's felling of 158 trees on Manning Road, despite four arrests during a sometimes heated protest yesterday.
Activist group Forest Rescue has taken up the cause after learning that gum trees between Lawson Street and Leach Highway in Bentley were being removed.
The trees, some up to 40 years old, are being replaced with spotted gum trees after local residents complained that cracks in Manning Road from tree roots were creating traffic vibrations that were damaging their homes.
Echoing the protest of Thornlie "tree man" Richard Pennicuik in 2010, George Oelsnik, 18, climbed one of the trees about 6.30am yesterday and remained on a platform in the canopy. He said he would stay in the tree for "as long as it takes", though last night he had climbed down, planning to resume his sit-in at first light this morning.
"There's not many trees and they were going to chop them down, so I thought, 'Hey, I want my part in stopping it'," Mr Oelsnik said.
This morning police issued a move on notice after protester Glen Pendlebury, 27, climbed another of the trees.
Mr Pendlebury climbed the tree at first light but agreed to climb down after police returned his down rope.
He said he did not known how police expected him to climb down without the rope.
Despite residents' complaints about road cracks and traffic vibrations, engineering reports said there was minimal root invasion on the road surface.
Mr Pendlebury said the 40-year old trees where a vital feeding source for the endangered red-tail black cockatoo.
"I will get a criminal record for this but the council are criminals," he said.
Four other protesters, including two who handcuffed themselves to the undercarriage of tree-lopping cherry pickers, were arrested yesterday.
Three were charged with breaching move-on notices, while Black Cockatoo Preservation Society general manager Chris Phillips was charged with obstruction for refusing to move from under a tree that was being felled.
Ten move-on notices were issued.
Tactical response group police were called to dismantle parts of the cherry pickers to get to protesters Ashley Cockrane and Matt Sandell.
Forest Rescue's Cameron Johnson, who returned from five months of protesting against the planned gas processing hub at James Price Point North of Broome, said the removal of the mature trees was "criminally disgusting".
"This is a very important feeding habitat for Carnaby's and red-tailed black cockatoos," he said. "Both of those species are critically endangered."
The council has said Department of Environment and Conservation advice is that no cockatoos are roosting in the trees and the felling will not affect their habitat.
The council decided to remove the trees in March last year.
It upheld that decision in October, despite vibration studies proving inconclusive.
Bentley resident Bryn Holton suggested the issue was more about "leaves in people's gardens".
"They're getting rid of 160 trees because one or two roots are showing up through the bitumen," he said.
Despite the protesters' efforts, contractors continued with the job, expected to take 10 days.
"The city recognises the right of anyone to make their concerns heard as long as it does not interfere with our officers or contractors carrying out the work of council or puts the protesters in danger," Canning chief executive Mark Dacombe said.