General News
17 February, 2020
Camperdown's avenue of elms pruning plan on the way
CAMPERDOWN'S avenue of elms is set to come under intense scrutiny with tenders being called to inspect, evaluate and develop a pruning program for the trees.
CAMPERDOWN'S avenue of elms is set to come under intense scrutiny with tenders being called to inspect, evaluate and develop a pruning program for the trees.
In total, the avenue boasts 540 elm trees, 250 of which are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
According to the tender documents, information obtained from the tree condition assessment will be used to meet risk requirements in the avenue into the future and to possibly form a long-term avenue management strategy.
The tender document calls for:
condition assessments, including vigour, trunk and main branch condition, pest and disease
a safe useful life expectancy assessment for
each tree
identification of works needed currently and in the longer-term
tree dimensions (height and width)
maturity health and structure
photo at the time of assessment
links to council’s existing tree identification mapping.
“All pruning required is to be carried out in a sensitive manner with the structural integrity of the tree not to be compromised,” the tender document stipulates.
“It is expected that the shape of the trees are consistent in shape as would be expected for an avenue of trees.”
Types of pruning flagged for the works include deadwooding, selective pruning, general crown maintenance and load reduction.
Elm tree removals are not on the current tender, but will be considered on a case-by-case basis, should they be recommended as a result of the assessment.
“The elm trees form part of the fabric of Camperdown and are therefore subject to high levels of interest from the community,” according to the tender document.
“The full extent of works will be clarified with the successful contractor dependent upon tendered prices and budget constraints.
“Council reserves the right to award some of these works this financial year and some further works in the 2020-2021 financial year, from prices submitted under this quotation.”
The successful contractor will be required to undertake a pre-works inception meeting with Corangamite Shire environment and emergency manager Lyall Bond who will oversee the project and potentially a community interest group to discuss expectations and specific site issues with the works to be undertaken.
Corangamite Shire Council will accept tenders until Wednesday, March 4, with a view to have pruning works finished by the end of April.