Monday D-day for Glebe palm trees

City of Sydney Council is planning to remove the historic palm trees which line the canals of Jubilee Park and Bicentennial Park in Glebe.
Residents have reacted angrily to Council’s plans to rip out the trees on or after Monday next week to re-establish the area’s natural salt marsh ecosystem.
Chris Newton, member of the Glebe Chamber of Commerce, said the trees have lived without injury in a salt marsh environment for years.
“They have been there for years. I don’t see why they would have to go now.”
Ms Newtown said the removal was a great injustice to the historic and cultural image of the park and contradicts section 5 of the council’s Draft Street Tree Master Plan.
Section 5 of Tree Species Selection states: “The selection of species may be made to reinforce historical, cultural or natural associations from our past.”
Historian and Glebe resident for over 50 years, Max Solling, estimated the trees were planted in the 1920’s.
Ms Newton said: “It’s part of the character of the park. If they’re not broke, why fix it?”
Council said the removal of the trees is a last resort to rejuvenate the natural salt marsh ecosystem of the area.
Salt Marshes are endangered under the Conservation Act (1995) and Council plans to repopulate the area with indigenous salt marsh plants.
“The Phoenix Palms along Johnsons Canal are reducing the ability for the endangered Coastal Saltmarsh community to grow and thrive in this area,” said a spokesperson from the City of Sydney Council.
“Phoenix Palms are an introduced species. Our investigations have revealed that unfortunately these trees cannot be transplanted in another location.”
Former Mayor of Leichhardt Maire Sheenan said the area around the Glebe parks cannot foster a salt marsh because of foreshore developments.
“How can you develop a salt-marsh around a concrete canal? It doesn’t add up,” she said.
“Taking those trees out is going to make no difference without major foreshore redevelopment.”
Ms Sheenan said local government had unsuccessfully tried to foster a salt marsh in Rozelle Bay by planting mangroves a few years ago.
“The last time I was there I didn’t see any mangroves . . . you would think by now we would see something there” she said.
“If they haven’t grown back then how can the salt marsh?”
Ms Sheenan questioned how City of Sydney is going to explain this to the community.
The council said they are “currently undertaking community consultation in relation to this proposed tree removal.”