Dozens of trees across Lennox Gardens will need to be removed. Photo: ACT Government.
Work to remove ageing and diseased trees from Lennox Gardens in Yarralumla by Lake Burley Griffin has begun, as part of plans for a safer, healthier and more resilient urban forest.
The City and Environment Directorate said 43 trees have been identified for removal and replacement over the coming weeks, but the Gardens would remain open throughout.
It said these trees were near the end of their life, structurally compromised, in poor health, dead or in decline.
They would be replaced with species better suited to the site.
Senior director urban treescapes at the City and Environment Directorate, Rachael Dawes, said the work was a necessary part of maintaining the park and renewing it for future visitors.
“While this will be a significant change for one of Canberra’s most iconic lakeside destinations, it is an important investment in the future of Lennox Gardens,” she said.
“Replacing these ageing and declining trees will help create a healthier, more resilient and diverse tree canopy that can be enjoyed by generations of Canberrans to come.”
In Canberra Nara Peace Park, replanting would reflect a traditional Japanese garden style, guided by a plan developed in partnership with the Friends of Nara Park.
The peninsula area would be replanted with a mix of conifer species to improve canopy diversity and resilience.
Friends of Canberra-Nara Peace Park convenor Dr Chris Braddick said it was sad to see these old trees go.
“It is sad to see the removal of the historic stands of moribund Himalayan Cyprus from Canberra-Nara Peace Park,” he said.
“However, future generations of park visitors will doubtless enjoy observing as the successor Japanese Black and White Pines mature into majestic trees.”
Wood harvested from the removal of the trees in Lennox Gardens will be reused as timber or mulch for government and community projects.
This would help divert material from waste streams and maximise the ongoing community and environmental value of removed trees.
Lennox Gardens will remain open during the works, with temporary access restrictions and minor detours for pedestrians and cyclists.
