By LIA SPENCER
TREES are leaving a mess throughout Casey and the council is determined to get to the root of the problem.
At a council meeting last week, councillors resolved to have officers prepare a report assessing the appropriateness of trees in Casey and the cost of removing dangerous trees.
The move came after councillors said the most common complaints by Casey residents were about the problems made by trees in their estates and on their nature strips.
Councillor Gary Rowe said he had visited many people in Cranbourne who had trees which spread litter in their yards.
Cr Mick Morland said Timbarra Estate was the worst in the City of Casey for having problems caused by gum trees.
“It’s like a brothel. We clean it up and next week it’s like that again,” he said.
Last year, Timbarra residents lodged several petitions calling for the removal of several gumtrees.
They said the trees were shedding leaves and bark and many limbs have fallen on streets, houses and parked cars.
The trees also soaked up moisture from their yards, leaving them with baron lawns and gardens.
In July last year, Casey Council agreed to remove about 100 gum trees in six streets over three years from Timbarra Estate, as well as 132 property clearances and a reduction of 50 canopies, costing the council $171,000.
City of Casey Manager of Parks and Reserve Trevor Griffin said five trees were planted as replacements in Timbarra Estate, four of which are exotic species and one was a similar eucalypt species to that removed which was planted in response to a resident request.
Mr Griffin said if residents had complaints about trees on their lawn or nature strip, they could contact the City of Casey Customer Service on 9705 5200 to arrange for individual trees to be inspected.
A report regarding appropriateness of trees in the City of Casey will come back to councillors at the second meeting in August.
