Perth Voice Interactive

WITH another healthy tree vandalised in Vincent, mayor John Carey wants a city-wide register set up to keep track of how many are being killed.

The mid-sized tree on the corner of Lake and Brisbane Streets was one of the heftiest to be knocked over in recent years, apparently the target of a strongman contest by meatheads.

“I was going on an early morning walk and came across it. I’m really disappointed,” Mr Carey says.

“It’s just this ongoing, senseless, and destructive vandalism.

Meatheads on the rampage

“It is so frustrating because Vincent and the community is really getting behind our greening program: we’re doubling our investment in trees and the adopt-a-verge program, it’s all about cooling our streets.”

There are four or five other vacant tree spots on Lake and Brisbane Streets where vandals have snapped off trunks. Recently on Beaufort Street 70 trees were killed by vandals in 18 months, costing ratepayers about $50,000.

Mr Carey wants a city-wide register so a clearer picture can be drawn of the problem. Tree bollards may be an option.

by DAVID BELL