The General Manager
Eurobodalla Shire Council
PO Box 99 25 August 2005
MORUYA 2537

CLEARING ROADSIDES AND DRAINAGE RESERVES

Our association is writing to draw your attention to the concerns of many of our members regarding what they see as the excessive clearing (and trittering) of many roadside reserves and some drainage easements.

As you are aware the IRIS survey last year demonstrated that protection of the natural environment was THE top priority of the wider community. Council, in its Management Plan, has indicated its intention to try to meet the community's expectation in this regard.
However, it appears that this will be impossible unless the different sections of Council improve their co-operation in working towards that goal.

We ask that whoever has responsibility for the management of road reserves and drainage easements ensures that the clearing of vegetation is kept to the minimum necessary.

Often the trees and shrubs in road reserves and drainage easements are the best remnants in otherwise urbanised or cleared rural landscapes. Apart from their ecological value they are an important part of the Nature Coast image that is so valuable to our economy.

We appreciate that sometimes it is necessary to clear parts of road reserves to improve drivers' vision around curves or to remove trees that are too close to the edge of the pavement. However, in many instances lately it seems that the clearing has been done because the machine can reach the area and has nothing to do with safety - a recent incident near Illabunda Drive, Malua Bay is one example.

It is also apparent that Council is creating an ongoing need for further maintenance (and cost to ratepayers) because the trittering method of clearing causes shrubs and trees to resprout from stumps. As a result within a few months foliage near ground level is even denser than prior to the clearing and so the trittering must be repeated regularly.

Where limbs are removed from trees left standing the machine tears them rather than producing a clean cut. The ragged ends of branches are more likely to become infected, weakening the tree and producing a future hazard that will have to be dealt with.

Drainage reserves are often preserved at the planning approval stage to also act as wildlife corridors. If they have been previously cleared, such as on old farmland at Malua Bay, they should be allowed to revegetate with native vegetation. Wattles are an important first stage in the re-establishment of bushland and provide shelter and nitrogen for other species including LandCare plantings.

It is ironic that council funds and community labour are being used to revegetate stream banks and cleared areas in some parts of the Shire while Council spends money to unnecessarily clear others.

It is also very important that filtering vegetation in drainage lines be retained. This is a cheap and effective way to help maintain the water quality on our beaches and in our waterways.

For all of the above reasons, and many others we have not discussed here, we believe it is essential that the engineering sections of Council work closely with the natural resource and strategic planning sections. It is the only way that Council will be able to satisfy the community that it is doing all it can to protect the natural environment of the Shire.

We look forward to your reply detailing how closer co-operation can be achieved.

We also ask that plans to clear roadsides and drainage reserves be advertised so that Council can be made aware of significant vegetation and/or LandCare work beforehand.

Yours sincerely

Jenny Edwards
Secretary