Cooks River vegetation clearance along the oil pipeline easement
Petitioner:
Mrs Louise Dortins
| Member:
Cotsis, Sophie
| No. of Signatories:
1,114
| Date closed:
24/05/2021
To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, this petition brings to the attention of the House the clearing of vegetation along the Cooks River Pipeline Route.
The undersigned residents of the communities along the Cooks River request the Minister for Energy and the Environment intervene on our behalf to prevent any further destruction of vegetation by maintenance contractors of the high pressure oil pipelines that run along the river.
The threatened clearance of 8 metres either side of the pipelines, would mean the loss of more than 1000 established trees and new native vegetation planted since 2005 by volunteers.
High quality green space is of vital importance to the increasingly populous community served by the Cooks River foreshore paths, cycleways and playgrounds, which are all heavily used. The enhanced appearance and increased shade provided by these trees is highly valued, as is the increase in birds and other fauna, for which habitat is now available.
Volunteers and the many users of the Cooks River foreshore alike, are horrified by the prospect of the loss of a precious community and environmental resource that contributes incalculably to community amenity and wellbeing.
