Latest news with #PSHB
Perth Now
2 days ago
- General
- Perth Now
REVEALED: Number of trees cut down in western suburbs
After cutting down more than 2000 trees across Perth's leafiest suburbs, western suburb councils are now scrambling to secure new funding to help in the fight against invasive beetle species, the polyphagous shot-hole borers (PSHB). Announced last August, the State Governments $7.2 million Tree Recovery program opened up to applicants across the State to help fund replacement planting projects. It comes after Perth's western suburbs were hit with a devastating blow to their tree canopy, with six of the seven local governments experiencing rapid tree deaths due to the invasive beetle species. Your local paper, whenever you want it. According to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, a total of 2308 trees have been removed and 529 pruned — some multiple times — on both private and public land in Perth's western suburbs since June. The City of Nedlands have carried the bulk of this figure, removing a total of 1124 trees across its local government area. Every other western suburb have cut down between 150 to 360 trees, with the Town of Cottesloe removing the least amount of trees at 100. WA Tree Canopy Advocate Sarah Allchurch described the western suburbs as 'ground zero' for the invasive species. WA Tree Canopy Advocate Sarah Allchurch. Credit: WATCA 'At Lake Claremont alone, 170 trees have been lost to PSHB — and that's just one site in one suburb.' 'These kinds of numbers show that Perth's so-called 'leafiest suburbs' are taking a substantial hit to their mature tree populations, which are crucial for reducing urban heat and supporting biodiversity,' she said. Although the newly available funding is a 'welcome response', Ms Allchurch said the State Government was 'late to the party'. 'Councils needed that support last year,' she said. 'If we're serious about stopping the spread and protecting both our urban canopy and agriculture sector, we need a more coordinated, proactive and transparent approach.' All of Perth's western suburb councils — except the Shire of Peppermint Grove — have said they are planning to apply for the tree recovery grant funding. The program provides up to $1,140 per PSHB-affected tree removed, covering the cost of one primary replacement tree, two additional trees, and associated establishment items. Applications for the grant program close on July 7. Successful applicants will be announced in early August.
Perth Now
12-06-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Town of Bassendean adds frangipanis, palm trees to list of ‘unwanted species'
Town of Bassendean residents will now be allowed to carry out works on trees that are on an 'unwanted tree species' list without first seeking approval. Palm trees, broad leaf and Brazilian pepper trees, coral trees, box elder maples, frangipanis and robinias are on the list adopted by the council last month. Residents with any of these trees on their property will not have to remove them. If they do decide to remove them, they will not need to seek development approval. PerthNow Digital Edition . Your local paper, whenever you want it. Read now A council report said palm trees offered minimal canopy and attracted pests such as the rainbow lorikeet or rats and the broad leaf and Brazilian leaf trees were introduced, weed-like species that could smother native vegetation. 'This tree species has been, and continues to be, a management issue within the town's reserves.' the report said. The coral tree species is an introduced species that is 'extremely susceptible to infestation and are reproductive hosts of the polyphagous shot-hole borer, increasing the infestation risk to surrounding trees'. The box elder was also identified as an introduced species which was also susceptible to infestation of PSHB and could increase infestation of surrounding trees. Frangipani trees offered minimal canopy cover or environmental value, and robinias were identified as a risk for PSHB infestation. Bassendean mayor Kathryn Hamilton said the town's decision to allow works on unwanted species was supported by arborists. '(Reasons for the) removal of a regulated tree include the tree is in poor health and poses a risk to nearby structures, the tree is an unsuitable species that provides little or no canopy cover, for example palm trees, or the species is a weed specimen species and presents an environmental concern,' she said. 'If the tree obstructs infield development and cannot be retained without compromising its integrity in such cases where multiple trees are present on a site, the town has sought to retain the largest and most appropriate species.' As part of its tree planting goals, the town will plant 500 street trees from June to September.
Perth Now
07-06-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Why councils in Perth's south are lining up for tree funding
As the destructive polyphagous shot-hole borer continues to run rampant in Perth, local governments are hurrying to apply for the first round of WA Tree Recovery Program funding. The $7.2 million WA Tree Recovery Program was announced by the State Government last August but the money, which will help impacted councils plant up to three trees for every one that has been lost to the invasive pest, is only now available. It is no surprise the City of Canning is champing at the bit to see some money as it counts the cost of already losing 172 trees to the invasive pest. Your local paper, whenever you want it. 'The city will be applying for WA Tree Recovery Program funding to help offset the loss of tree canopy,' mayor Patrick Hall confirmed on Tuesday. The polyphagous shot-hole borer has been wreaking havoc, forcing the mass cutting of some of the city's favourite canopies. Credit: Pia Scanlon / TheWest 'Our philosophy is to try and install replacement trees near to the location where canopy has been lost.' The City of Melville, which has lost 149 trees to the borer, is also likely to apply for first round funding as it works through the criteria before the July 7 deadline. 'We recognise the importance of the urban forest tree canopy and so we welcome this opportunity from WALGA, which will help us to replace trees due to the PSHB infestation,' CEO Gail Bowman said. The City of Fremantle and the Town of East Fremantle have lost a comparably smaller number of trees to the PSHB but also plan to apply. Like Melville, those councils are in the midst of reviewing the grant criteria to assess eligibility. The City of Cockburn is the region's only local authority not applying this year. 'As the city has only removed five PSHB-affected trees to date, the city's current tree planting program has been able to mitigate the associated canopy loss so will not apply for round one funding,' Cockburn's director of infrastructure Anton Lees said. 'The city may apply to next year's funding round ... for the predicted removal of more than 60 trees in Bibra Lake and Yangebup, where tree canopy is still being assessed.'
Perth Now
06-06-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Hundreds of trees to be chopped down at beloved Perth park
At least 300 trees are set to be cleared from the Hyde Park islands as part of a blitz to eradicate the polyphagous shot-hole borer. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development on Wednesday said it was working with the City of Vincent to remove up to 300 host plants — including native and non-WA native trees — from the lake's two islands over the next four to six weeks. DPIRD would not confirm how many infected trees had been removed since works began on May 19. 'The only WA native species on the Hyde Park islands are Melaleuca rhaphiophylla and Eucalyptus rudis,' a spokesperson told The West. 'Other species being removed include eastern states Casuarina spp. Melaleuca spp. and Eucalyptus spp. and non-native woody weeds including Erythrina x sykesii and Ficus sp.' The PSHB — which is native to southeast Asia — is a small beetle which burrows into trees and infects them with a fungus that slowly kills them from the inside. The only way to eradicate the beetle is to remove the infected trees. The only way to eradicate the beetle is to remove the infected trees. Credit: Kelsey Reid / The West Australian 'DPIRD is continuing to work in close collaboration with the City of Vincent to manage PSHB in Hyde Park, as part of the nationally funded and coordinated emergency bio-security response,' the spokesperson said. 'PSHB surveillance and management will continue in Hyde Park to protect the high value fig and London plane trees.' Thirteen infested trees at Hyde Park have already been removed, with another 33 pruned to their limit. A further 45 have been treated with insecticides as part of an ongoing chemical trial. Thirteen infested trees at Hyde Park have already been removed, with another 33 pruned to their limit. Credit: Kelsey Reid / The West Australian City of Vincent mayor Alison Xamon said she was 'deeply saddened' to hear the beetle had burrowed its way onto the lake's islands. She said the city would plant up to 4000 new plants and mature trees on the lake's islands. 'Losing the tree is the last thing anyone wants to see, but DPIRD have determined this precaution is necessary to stop the borer spreading to other healthy trees at the park,' Ms Xamon told The West. 'Following DPIRD's works, we will be acting quickly on our three-year restoration program which has been formed in partnership with industry experts. She said the city would plant up to 4000 new plants and mature trees on the lake's islands. Credit: Kelsey Reid / The West Australian 'About 4000 new plants, that will be resilient to the borer and climate change, will be planted on the islands this winter including mature trees. 'We previously restored the eastern island in 2012, which gives us confidence that our program will see the islands flourish again.' It comes just days after the State Government announced local councils could apply for the first round of its WA Tree Recovery Local Government Grant Program. Councils can receive up to $1140 in funding for each tree that is removed as a result of PSHB, but the City of Vincent is yet to apply for funding. PSHB has been confirmed in more than 80 suburbs across Perth since it was first detected in August 2021.
West Australian
04-06-2025
- Health
- West Australian
At least 300 trees to be cleared from Hyde Park as part of shot-hole borer blitz
At least 300 trees are set to be cleared from the Hyde Park islands as part of a blitz to eradicate the polyphagous shot-hole borer. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development on Wednesday said it was working with the City of Vincent to remove up to 300 host plants — including native and non-WA native trees — from the lake's two islands over the next four to six weeks. DPIRD would not confirm how many infected trees had been removed since works began on May 19. 'The only WA native species on the Hyde Park islands are Melaleuca rhaphiophylla and Eucalyptus rudis,' a spokesperson told The West. 'Other species being removed include eastern states Casuarina spp. Melaleuca spp. and Eucalyptus spp. and non-native woody weeds including Erythrina x sykesii and Ficus sp.' The PSHB — which is native to southeast Asia — is a small beetle which burrows into trees and infects them with a fungus that slowly kills them from the inside. The only way to eradicate the beetle is to remove the infected trees. 'DPIRD is continuing to work in close collaboration with the City of Vincent to manage PSHB in Hyde Park, as part of the nationally funded and coordinated emergency bio-security response,' the spokesperson said. 'PSHB surveillance and management will continue in Hyde Park to protect the high value fig and London plane trees.' Thirteen infested trees at Hyde Park have already been removed, with another 33 pruned to their limit. A further 45 have been treated with insecticides as part of an ongoing chemical trial. City of Vincent mayor Alison Xamon said she was 'deeply saddened' to hear the beetle had burrowed its way onto the lake's islands. She said the city would plant up to 4000 new plants and mature trees on the lake's islands. 'Losing the tree is the last thing anyone wants to see, but DPIRD have determined this precaution is necessary to stop the borer spreading to other healthy trees at the park,' Ms Xamon told The West. 'Following DPIRD's works, we will be acting quickly on our three-year restoration program which has been formed in partnership with industry experts. 'About 4000 new plants, that will be resilient to the borer and climate change, will be planted on the islands this winter including mature trees. 'We previously restored the eastern island in 2012, which gives us confidence that our program will see the islands flourish again.' It comes just days after the State Government announced local councils could apply for the first round of its WA Tree Recovery Local Government Grant Program. Councils can receive up to $1140 in funding for each tree that is removed as a result of PSHB, but the City of Vincent is yet to apply for funding. PSHB has been confirmed in more than 80 suburbs across Perth since it was first detected in August 2021.
