Aging Hamilton Garden trees to be removed for public safety

1 AUGUST 2008

A familiar group of pine trees at Hamilton Gardens will be removed this month after they were identified as being a potential safety hazard.

The pines, situated above the Rhododendron Lawn and close to the Municipal Nursery, were recently assessed by an independent arboricultural consultant who advised the trees were well past their prime and posed a risk to public safety. Believed to be between 70-80 years old, it is possible the pines were originally planted along the ridge to act as a shelterbelt for Bateson’s Nursery, which was based on the site of the current nursery from about 1906 until the 1950s.

Hamilton Gardens Director Peter Sergel said that while the trees have become a familiar feature of the Gardens, public safety must be the facility’s first priority. “The pines are somewhat of a landmark at Hamilton Gardens and we have tried to keep and maintain them for as long as possible. However, if they are becoming a safety issue we need to act proactively,” he said.

The felling of the trees will be carried out during the week of 11-15 August, between 9am-12pm each day. During this time certain areas of Hamilton Gardens will be closed to the public, including at times the access road into the facility via Gate 2.

New pines were planted underneath the older ones several years ago and these are expected to have an impact on the skyline within 10 years. The removal of the older pines is likely to speed up that process. Once the logs have been removed more tree planting will be undertaken on the bank and reinstatement work will be carried out.

ENDS

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