Fig trees in East End on the chopping block

It feels like déjà vu with three fig trees in Newcastle’s city centre set to be ripped out.

Newcastle Council has received an update from the Infrastructure and Property committee on the health of four fig trees on Hunter Street between Perkins and Brown Streets in the East End precinct.

The report said arborist assessments of three figs at the former bus stop indicated that due to restricted growing environments and excessive pruning associated with the light rail project those three fig trees had a significantly reduced life expectancy.

It’s good news for the fourth fig tree at the corner of Perkins and Hunter Streets which was assessed as having a good state of health and relatively high useful life expectancy.

In the East End Streetscape Plan the three figs are scheduled to be replaced and the fourth will be retained with additional understory planted beneath.

The report also said “a tree replacement strategy has been developed to ensure the protection of existing trees and improved growing conditions for future greening. Retention of the fourth eastern fig and southern plane trees will retain 70% of the existing canopy within the block, maintaining the green avenue while replacement trees and gardens mature.

“An additional 12 trees and 636m2 of garden beds suitable for projected climate change will bolster the canopy and biodiversity within the block.”

Image: Google

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