"Within each precinct it is important to acknowledge the distinction between built up areas where houses have view line potential and 'nature walk' areas. In built up areas, middle storey clearing and the use of a mix of low growing indigenous species ... is recommended." CORINELLA homeowners have won their battle for a sea view. The long awaited Corinella Foreshore Landscape Plan, recently released by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), states that vegetation may be thinned or cleared in residential areas with "view line potential".
The plan is the latest chapter in a bitter dispute between those who believe the foreshore reserve should be a natural environment that provides habitat for wildlife and those who want a more manicured foreshore, with bay views for homeowners.
Whether the plan is a victory for common sense or environmental vandalism depends on your point of view. John Lippmann and Jenny Date put the case for and against.
The plan is the latest chapter in a bitter dispute between those who believe the foreshore reserve should be a natural environment that provides habitat for wildlife and those who want a more manicured foreshore, with bay views for homeowners.
Whether the plan is a victory for common sense or environmental vandalism depends on your point of view. John Lippmann and Jenny Date put the case for and against.
| A fine balance By John Lippmann In my view DEECA has tried very hard to balance competing interests. There are extremists at both ends. People who want to let everything grow and plant out areas and others who want to completely clear much broader areas. Neither side is going to be happy. DEECA’s philosophy has been to try to balance the environmental values of the reserve with the cultural heritage and social and economic values. I think they’ve achieved that. One of the DEECA team once said “If everyone is equally unhappy, we’ve probably done our job.” The plan recommends clearing the smaller dead stuff on the ground to reduce the fire risk and some mid-storey thinning. I don’t think there’s going to be any wholesale clearing. DEECA’s not going to come in and chop out a whole area. They’re the Department of Environment and not environmental vandals. They don’t want to wreck the environment or undermine the wildlife. The Plan indicates that the canopy will be retained which will provide habitat for birds and other wildlife, maintain shade and shelter and, I imagine, much of the live growth below. The Friends of Corinella Foreshore group is very negative about DEECA and about the committee of management as local proxy for DEECA. We put the plan up on our website as soon as it was released. If you ask me or anyone on the committee, we don’t know any more than what’s in the plan and details of when and how it will be implemented. It will be a long process. One of the things we were worrying about is how we interpret it. DEECA told us they will come and do the initial works so our committee, and following committees, will know exactly what can and can’t be done. DEECA is working on implementation at the moment. They’re going through due process to establish what they can and can’t do. They’re sorting out permissions and they'll do some works and then we’ll all have more of an idea of what that means. I’ve heard concerns that there could be substantial clearing in front of newer estates on the Western Precinct but I really don’t think that’s going to happen. If anyone wants to clear vegetation they’ll have to go through due process with DEECA and the council. There’s not going to be wholesale destruction of native flora. The Plan suggests they’ll be getting rid of the dead stuff and any future planting in front of houses will be low growing except for when they’re replacing trees that have been illegally removed which will likely be replaced by the same or similar stock. Some residents were anticipating getting all their sea views back. I said “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch”. I don’t believe there’ll be wholesale clearing. Dr John Lippmann is chair of the Corinella Foreshore Committee of Management appointed by DEECA. | Foreshore under threat By Jenny Date THE beautiful coastal environment of the Corinella Foreshore is under threat. Residents attracted by the environmental beauty of the place are very worried. The recently published DEECA landscape plan entitles residents to apply for a permit from the Bass Coast Shire Council to reduce vegetation to achieve views. The concern is if too many do this, we will lose valuable habitat for our vulnerable fauna and birds. Some in the community feel they are entitled to a "view" and believe they should be able to remove vegetation blocking it. They want the removal of understorey and trees, to create a more manicured look and to allow properties lining the foreshore to have “views” without any thought of the impact this would have on our native fauna. A small group has lobbied DEECA until it agreed to a landscape plan which sanctions this removal. Of great concern is the fact that the draft landscape plan first published in 2022 has been considerably altered to allow even more clearing of vegetation for view lines. Extensive understorey clearing of shrubs to achieve view lines will be permitted with a permit. If all the residents in a particular area decide to do this there will a serious degradation of the foreshore. We have so little of the original flora left in the area that surely we must recognise the need to protect it. One of the many joys of walking our foreshore track is seeing echidnas, wombats, kangaroos and the many lizards and bird species which the understorey supports. To observe the black cockatoos feasting on the she oak nuts is a special sight. Most residents and visitors notice how the bush on the bay side protects them from the strong winds. Removal of this bush, even in sections, would end this protection. We live by Western Port, listed as an internationally significant wetland under the international Ramsar convention Many Corinella locals record fauna and bird life, rescue sick animals, plant mangroves, spray weeds, take photographs, and have a daily walk or bike ride along the foreshore. All appreciate how lucky we are to have this gem on our doorstep and that it must be protected and enhanced for the future, at all costs. We feel DEECA is behaving in a manner totally unsympathetic to the needs of our foreshore and indeed with their stated aims to mitigate climate change. We have taken our concerns to the Ombudsman but the Ombudsman has very little power to pursue this environmentally damaging landscape plan. We were told there is no evidence of improper conduct, despite the damage to the environment that can occur. We urgently need support to prevent DEECA from enacting this disastrous landscape plan. Jenny Date is a member of Friends of the Corinella Foreshore Reserve. |
Trees versus views
April 22, 2023 - THE Corinella foreshore has become the battleground for a bitter dispute between those who believe the foreshore reserve should be a natural environment that provides habitat for native birds and animals and those who want a more manicured foreshore, with bay views for homeowners.
April 22, 2023 - THE Corinella foreshore has become the battleground for a bitter dispute between those who believe the foreshore reserve should be a natural environment that provides habitat for native birds and animals and those who want a more manicured foreshore, with bay views for homeowners.