2016-06-20
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — My constituency question is for the Minister for Public Transport, and it is a follow-up to the answer to a constituency question I asked her. The minister replied to me on 14 April 2016 with regard to level crossing removals at Carnegie, Murrumbeena and Hughesdale, and she said that one of the benefits of the preferred design is the retention of mature trees in that area. That is also a statement on the Level Crossing Removal Authority's website. Many people have emailed me with concerns about the removal of trees, including trees with wildlife, including possums and so on, in those trees. Therefore my question to the minister is: how many trees have been removed in that area, and how many will be removed as part of the level crossing removal program, and is she ensuring that wildlife carers are there at any time trees are either removed or lopped during the project?
ANSWER on 18 August 2016:
Native vegetation management is an important part of the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project. The project has made every effort to ensure that the design and construction minimises the impact on trees, vegetation and wildlife. Prior to any tree removal taking place, site surveys are carried out to identify the health of individual trees as well as the presence of any wildlife. This includes visual inspections of the corridor by wildlife experts.
The project will be offsetting impacts to native vegetation and ensuring that impacts to any threatened species present within the corridor are managed in accordance with the relevant legislation, including the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 and Wildlife Act 1975. The rail over solution allows the retention of a far greater number of trees than would have been possible with a rail under solution. The design, which includes over 11 MCGs of open space, will enable replanting of a significant number of larger trees upon completion ensuring ongoing habitat is available for native wildlife, an option that would not have been possible with a rail under solution.