Victoria’s urban areas need to keep their tree canopies, says botanist Dr Greg Moore. Photo: supplied
The Victorian Government’s decision to persist with pruning trees around urban power lines has come in for criticism.
Prominent botanist and academic Dr Greg Moore wants Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio to protect tree canopies, not trim them.
“The state government wants to overturn the recommendation of a highly credentialled expert committee which wants to reduce unnecessary tree pruning around power lines,” he says.
The recommendation was made by the Electricity Line Clearing Consultative Committee (ELCCC), of which Dr Moore is a member.
“This is bureaucracy gone mad with a legitimate, sensible and safe proposal being overturned despite the overwhelming recommendation of the committee established to provide expert advice on this matter,” he says.
“My concern is that between 500 and 1000 Victorian lives could be lost in a single heatwave event due to reduced tree canopy.”
Dr Moore also points to enormous environmental benefits that will be lost due to one decision such as carbon sequestration, better air quality, and greater biodiversity.
A tree canopy cover will mitigate the urban heat island effect and reduce heatwave-related illnesses and deaths, he points out.
Dr Moore also says the greater shade from trees in urban areas has a direct impact on household energy costs.
“The government is seeking not only to ignore the umpires’ decision but is seeking to ban the umpire from all future games by trying to shut down the committee completely and entrench existing policy for the next 10 years,” he says.
“What the government proposes is not safer. It actually increases safety risks and its line about preferring gradual change does not square up with the facts.”
“We call on the Victorian Government to show the evidence in support of its position.”
An Energy Safe Victoria spokesperson told media outlets that it considered the proposal but believed a ‘more gradual change’ to clearance space was the best approach.
A decision on the proposed regulations has not yet been made and will be subject to public consultation, the utility says.
BACKGROUND
The ELCCC call to increase urban tree canopies will results in more than $1 billion, Dr Moore says.
It aims to reduce tree trimming around power lines in urban areas which could increase the value of the urban forest by about a billion dollars.
The committee estimates that their recommendation will save $3 million in household energy costs in the next five years.
It says research has shown that a green property can add as much as 7 per cent to its value.
For more details, visit: www.makevictoriagreener.org.au
