BALLAJURA resident Viola Marrapodi says she was devastated after discovering a row of mature trees along Alexander Drive being bulldozed despite her understanding they were meant to be protected.

Ms Marrapodi said she was walking along Alexander Drive in Ballajura when she noticed heavy machinery clearing vegetation near a development site.

“These trees had been approved by City of Swan Council to be protected by any development and there be a distance of 10m to any building,” she said.

“There were about 20 trees in all and have been there for at least 30 years.

“By the time I was aware that these trees were being bulldozed down at least half had already gone.

“When I asked the driver to stop bulldozing any more as they were not to be touched, he advised me to go to the council.”

Ms Marrapodi said she immediately contacted the City of Swan and lodged a report about the clearing works.

According to Ms Marrapodi, work crews were instructed to stop work later that afternoon.

“City of Swan have advised that they will send an arborist to try and hopefully save it,” she said.

“Out of such a beautiful row of trees, this is the last one standing.

“Its lower limbs have been broken off, the earth around its base has been dug out but thankfully the roots seem to be intact.”

Ms Marrapodi had also recently raised environmental and planning concerns directly with the City of Swan during public question time at a council meeting the night before the bulldozing, including issues relating to vegetation management, bushfire buffer zones and nearby development near Emu Swamp reserve.

During the meeting, Ms Marrapodi questioned city staff about subdivision approvals, bushfire management planning and environmental protections relating to nearby land at Paradise Keys.

She said the loss of the Alexander Drive trees had upset local residents and raised broader concerns about the protection of mature vegetation during development works.

“People don’t realise how quickly these established trees can disappear,” she said.

“You cannot replace 30 years of growth overnight.

“Once these trees are gone, the shade, habitat and character they provide to the area is gone too.”

Ms Marrapodi said she hoped the remaining tree could still be saved and wanted stronger protections and oversight around vegetation clearing in future developments.

“I have been following this aged care development for more than seven years and have been fighting for the protection of Emu Swamp Reserve by making sure that all guidelines of building in a fire prone zone are adhered to,” she said.

“I am deeply concerned that if this destruction is allowed to continue Emu Swamp Reserve… will be destroyed.

“Right now, there’s just a lonely little tree I was able to save and its just standing there by itself along the road.

“I hope it can be saved.

“I want to be perfectly clear I am not against aged care development or Paradise Quays, in fact, I’m at an age where it would benefit me, but we must make sure we do right by Emu Swamp so that our grandchildren can enjoy it too.

“I’m aware that me going against their development works makes me look like I’m against aged care altogether, which is not the case at all.

“I think the location that the aged care is proposed in is fine but there are buffer zones and other guidelines I don’t believe are being followed and more people in the area should be vigilant of whether developers are following the rules.”

*After publication the lone tree was revealed to be chopped down and the online article has been edited to reflect this.