Site preparations for a new junior football oval at Hilton Park got underway this week.
On Monday, contractors established the site by installing a fence around the area, to ensure community safety.
An ecologist inspected the 26 mature trees identified for removal. Six nests were identified; three active and three empty. The three empty nests were removed, two of the active nests (crested pigeons) were transferred to a wildlife carer and one active nest (magpie) remains on site. The ecologist attended site each day to re-inspect the trees prior to removal.
Arborists then began the work of removing the trees. By the end of Friday, 25 mature trees and 10 saplings (under 100mm diameter at breast height) had been removed.
One Norfolk Island Pine, identified for removal, remains on site. It contains the active nest (magpie) and will be removed once the ecologist is satisfied that it is no longer in use.
The hardwood logs removed from the site will be used in future landscaping projects around the City. The logs from the Norfolk Island Pines will be milled into timber for furniture or other uses. The branches from the Norfolk Island Pines and saplings have been chipped on site for re-use as mulch.
The next step is the removal of some asbestos containing material within the work site. Immediate residents will be directly notified, and signage will be placed on site ahead of these remediation works.
