By Mara Pattison-Sowden
A COUNCIL plan that stops home owners from planting roses in their own back yard and restricts fuel reduction has been slammed as putting plants before people.
The scheme bans non indigenous plants from private and council owned land and restricts home owners carrying out fuel reduction.
The Yarra Ranges Council’s draft Flora and Fauna Strategy has been slammed by community groups who are calling on more time to respond to what they say is the oppressive and confusing proposal.
The plan:
– Bans home owners from planting only non-indigenous plants.
– Aims to cut noise to avoid upsetting native animals.
– Forces home owners to remove non-indigenous vegetation before indigenous plants.
– Bans home owners from removing dead and fallen trees.
– Increases the amount of indigenous plants near homes.
On the second anniversary of Black Saturday, Evelyn MP Christine Fyffe said the policy gave more protection to flora and fauna than human life.
“Council is rushing in without any consideration to the Bushfire Royal Commission, let alone without considering the State Government’s response,” she said.
“It does seem as if they’re putting the rules down on people and the language of the document makes it difficult for the ordinary person to understand.”
“They need to have public meetings to express and understand what the council are trying to say.”
Gembrook MP Brad Battin said he was concerned about the document’s ambiguity and the lack of public consultation around it.
“People are coming to me and asking simple questions like ‘am I allowed to have a veggie garden?’” Mr Battin said.
“They are concerned with the rules for 100 per cent native fauna for private yards, and flammable products placed around houses.”
“People have spoken to councillors and haven’t got a reply on this.”
Mr Battin said the policy should have to fit in with state legislation, and needs clarification from the council before it is put to a vote.
“It should be stating that human life comes first, but I don’t get that from reading it,” he said.
Although the council has extended the closing date for submissions to 4 March community groups say it is not long enough to have their queries resolved.
Upper Yarra Valley Garden Club secretary Janet Sowden said the club was seeking an urgent meeting with council officers.
“This policy is too draconian to be believed, and to legislate for flammable vegetation where none presently exists, is just madness,” she said.
She said the strategy flies in the face of the lessons learned from Black Saturday.
“The Royal Commission report was critical of the planning framework that allows councils to make people live with flammable vegetation.”
Ms Sowden said there were inconsistencies between the draft policy and State Government legislation, and the views of the new Baillieu government.
“People need to be able to make their properties safe – it is people before plants, no matter how much you might like the little onion orchid,” she said.
“I’m as green as the next person when it comes to loving the bush, but we’ve got 88 per cent of this shire covered with beautiful forest. Surely people have a right to keep their property safe.”
Yarra Glen Chamber of Commerce president Bob Curtis said his members were totally against the policy of getting rid of European trees.
He said it was people’s homes that were surrounded by non-indigenous trees that were saved in the bushfires.
“Our vines held the water and survived and the fire burnt around the vineyard,” he said.
Upper Yarra Community Voice has its first meeting this week and president Glennice Mathers said the policy will be discussed.
Mrs Mathers said the council should “butt out” of people’s right to look after their homes.
“I don’t understand it, but they should not be telling me what I can do to make my property look nice,” she said.
Council spokesperson James Martin said people could contact the coordinator of Biodiversity Conservation for clarification or further information to assist them in the preparation of their submissions at www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/florafaunastrategy.
