School parents join fight for trees

A BAYSWATER father has launched an online campaign to save trees scheduled for destruction by the Education Department.

Three trees on a public reserve between Bayswater Primary School and St Columbas Primary School have been the subject of a fierce battle between parents at both schools and the Education Department for more than a month.

A department horticulturalist labelled the trees as a danger to students, while an independent arborist’s report found the trees presented no significant danger to students or the general public.

While negotiations regarding the fate of the trees continues between the department and Bayswater P&C, Travis Beasley has mounted an online campaign to muster support for the trees.

Mr Beasley has three children at Bayswater primary and he believes the trees represent no threat.

He has launched an online petition, located at www.change.org, that has already been signed by 367 people.

Mr Beasley said he recognised most of the names on the petition.

“They’re mostly parents or local community members who are really concerned about this issue,” he said.

“Every time the petition is signed, an email is sent to the Education Minister Liz Constable, so the more signatures we get the more she is aware of how strongly the local community want to protect these trees.

"I organised a barbecue under the trees last Friday and we had 50 people there, using the shade from the trees and it was a great time.

“There’s absolutely no danger whatsoever.”

Mr Beasley has also set up a Facebook page, linked to a Twitter account, to keep local residents informed of developments.

What everyone else is thinking

CP

27/04/2012

To chop or not to chop, that is the question! To weigh a human life and that of a tree, that is the problem. To choose a tottering tree over the life of an unsuspecting individual, don't see any logical reason why there should be any discussion. To even compare that tree to a grandparent, and a child to a 'vested interest,' where is the logic?
Skip the drama and get on with the job - join the dude sitting under the tree and take your own chances as to whether it really is safe or not. Put yourself where your mouth is Treeman, and don't forget to carry your chequebook along to pay the Council fine when its slapped on all those protesters with the guts to put their money where their mouth is! Good luck with your campaign!

Community Minded

24/04/2012

Some people REALLY do live in a throw away world. The tree poses a threat so let's chop it down!!! What an attitude! How can anyone possibly want to chop down a tree so old and a haven for birds?!! Do these same people say "Grandma is old and in the way...let's put her down! We can get another one??"
Why not 'rope off' the area around the tree and plant natives and make it a garden rather than keep it as lawn??? There are OTHER ways that will keep the tree growing and everyone safe.
Keep the tree!!!

Reality check

23/04/2012

I would argue that 'community minded' people are those concerned about the wellbeing of the community as a whole, not just their (vested interests) child.

'if it poses a threat, knock it down...' god forbid we modify our behaviour.

The majority of people wanting this tree chopped down claim to be environmentalists. Classic!! Try lazy, ignorant and sterile.

19/04/2012

'Community Minded' people are those concerned about the wellbeing of others. In this case we're considering the wellbeing of students and staff over trees earmarked as dangerous pending necessary removal to ensure the safety of anyone walking around that area.
As a concerned parent I would prefer that happening to maintaining an unsafe tree. To go back to the smiling gentleman posing under the tree, if you are a parent you won't be smiling as broadly if that same tree injured your child. So its the wellbeing of humans over trees.
I love trees and am an enviromentalist too, however, if it poses a threat, knock it down and plant another in its place. The cycle of all life, but its better to lose a tree than kill or maim a child.
So, a concrete jungle isnt the way to go, however when you are OSH trained you listen to reason over emotion.
And, by the way, when that gentleman, posing under the tree is slapped with a fine, are all of you going to chip in and ease his financial pain?

Peter Melrosa

For goodness sake RC, there is a reason why 'just in case' had inverted commas around it. This tree isnt dangerous and im not claiming it is. If it was, the sensible thing to do would be to prevent access to it, not chop it down. The tree is not posing much of a risk to the entire school and faculty. Its on the edge of an oval where access to it can easily be reduced in the case it was dangerous....it has been independantly audited and its is safe. The tree is not just there for shade, it provides home for animals, is a carbon sink, cleans the air, provides you with oxygen.

About fat kids - This article is about OHS issues. OHS over-reaction has lead to the demise of playgrounds and contributed to fat children. They would rather play computer games then plastic noughts and crosses designed for 3yr olds. OHS over-reaction is going to lead to the demise of our environment and that has wide implications on health and well being of the population and environment.

RC

Don't you think fencing the tree off defeats the purpose of having said tree in the first place? You yourself are agreeing that the tree is dangerous in its current spot for children and all the school's faculty by suggesting that it should be cordoned off.
What has obese children got anything to do with trees? Children sit indoors instead of going out and playing because their parents buy them all sorts of electronics and they eat extremely unhealthly food hence making them overweight due to lack of movement and exercise. However, that is a whole other can of worms and is not quite revelant in regards to this article.
Also, if people spent more time planting new trees and grew more plants in and around their immediate surrounding instead of arguing whether one tree should or shouldn't be taken down we would have a much greener environment.

Your logical argument should then be applied to all dangerous situations...You wont ever leave your house!

I might not have children but I certainly remember being one and the probability of being hit by a tree limb was the same back then, as it is now, except we wernt running round like chicken littles and neither were our parents. And there was never a case of ANYONE being killed, hurt, hair messed up by a falling tree branch.

This needs to be put into perspective. One incident you refer to, should in no way, constitute the removal of mature trees that take a lifetime to grow.

The independant arborist has said the tree is fine. How about fence off the area and plant some native species to bring back some biodiversity 'just in case'.

For the record, logical arguments dont involve calling someone an 'attention seeker'.

Here, read this to shed some light onto the issue -

http://www.alisonxamon.org.au/bayswater-primary-school-%E2%80%94-removal-trees

This is what angers me.

18/04/2012

CP, why don't you just go off and move to a concrete jungle,
We NEED trees.
Everyone goes on about the environment - save the environment....but oh! the trees, oh let's chop them! Trees ARE the environment CP. You can't take everything away because ONE DAY it migh hurt someone....
I will be signing that petition. Keep us posted about the progress Travis!

How often are trees just CHOPPED. One day they are there, next day - GONE! The Vincent Council chopped a couple of beautiful big trees on the corner of Bulver and Beaufort. Heard nothing about it. There one day, gone the next...a line of the same trees remains...sad, very sad...

Calm down Pete, we may agree to disagree but mine is a logical argument, not an emotional reaction. Obviously, you aren't a parent so you're willing to take the risk with injuring someone else's child. I have first hand knowledge of an incident where branches smashed staff cars and caused havoc at a WA school. It's illogical to compare a tree to a meteorite because the probability of one over the other isn't comparable. Whilst I do agree that checks have to be completed and conclusive before a tree is deemed dangerous, once that check is complete I would definitely value the life of students and staff over the 'shade' of the 'shaky' tree.

@CP what happens if a meteorite came and hit u in the head...how do u propose to prevent that from happening?

Our world is risky...deal with it. 99% of the time trees pose no risk whatsoever. When was the last time someone was injured from a falling tree limb?

You're an over-reactionist... and its people with you're attitude that are destroying the amenity and heritage of our environment in the pursuit of eternal safety... Once the trees are gone, you lot move onto something else to sanitise.

Manning road trees - destroyed because of a bump in the road. Shameful.

OHS concerns have already killed off the exciting 'dangerous' play equipment that was around when I was young, in favour plastic noughts and crosses. Playgrounds are now empty beacause the fun, which was inherantly 'dangerous' is gone. Fat kids are everywhere as a result.

Its time common sense began to prevail and we ignored these OHS psychopaths who are employed for 8 hours a day to be a chicken little.

w.de bruijn

this government is determined to destroy any native trees,don't care for wildlife depending on these trees.
It is simply appalling.

I wonder if that attention-seeking parent will still have a broad grin on his face when the tree he's posing under, or even a huge branch from any of those 'unsafe' trees drops and hurts his child during the course of a school day. If its deemed unsafe by the Department it becomes an OSH issue and the kids being a schhol's main priority have to be safe-guarded. I'm an environmentally friendly person but as a parent I would be more concerned about the safety of my child over the safety of a couple of 'dangerous' trees.

diddles

17/04/2012

for goodness sake when is this government going to stop cutting down trees enough is enough.

sue turner

be careful the last bloke in thornlie that tried to save a tree ended up facing court and a lot of legal fees he fought for what was right and they ended up leaving him with big court fees he was a hero in what he was doing but the big boys always win

naia

perhaps the relevant departments should consider removing the problematic retaining wall and laneway instead of the trees, in effect extending the park.

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