Minister for Capital Metro Simon Corbell has announced that following community consultation and further technical analysis, the Eucalyptus mannifera has been selected as the new preferred tree for the Northbourne Avenue corridor.
“Earlier this year community feedback was invited on the landscaping vision for Northbourne Avenue as part of Capital Metro’s urban design consultation,” Mr. Corbell said “As a result of this consultation and of further advice from industry experts the Eucalyptus mannifera has been selected as the preferred species to be the fourth generation of trees along the Northbourne Avenue corridor” Corbell added.
Mr. Corbell went on to explain that the selection of Eucalyptus mannifera was made following extensive consultation with the public and experts and included input from Parks and Territory Services, dsb Landscape Architects, an expert arborist, the Australian National Botanic Gardens, Provincial Nursery and Yarralumla Nursery. Corbell went on to point out that the selection of a suitable replacement tree species for the Northbourne corridor is significant as it represents the fourth generation of trees to be planted within the median since around 1913.
“While measures could be taken to modify the existing soils in the median of Northbourne Avenue, Eucalyptus mannifera is the preferred species for the corridor as it is better suited to the existing soil conditions,” Mr Corbell said “Eucalyptus mannifera is a local species that occurs naturally on Black Mountain and in many areas throughout the Gungahlin region. Grown for its ornamental value, it is an attractive, stately tree that is also widely planted in Canberra as an urban tree with more than 100,000 planted in streets and parks. There are many fine examples of Eucalyptus mannifera planted across the city including in some of the older streets in Canberra such as in the median of Captain Cook Crescent in Griffith, on the verges of Northbourne Avenue and in the verges at the southern end of Mugga Way in Red Hill.”
Mr. Corbell explained that Between 2010 and 2014 the number of trees on the Northbourne Avenue and Federal Highway median of the light rail corridor reduced from 802 to just 484 through failing health, storm damage and removal of dead and dangerous trees. Furthermore, the 2014 assessment of the trees in the corridor found only 59% of the remaining trees were healthy.