‘Devastated’: Blackwood community reeling after memorial trees hacked down
“It has just broken the heart of the whole community”. Blackwood volunteers are devastated after a random act of vandalism destroyed dozens of trees planted in honour of a loved local.
Pattie Reynolds said she was “devastated” when she woke up to news two days ago that half the Manchurian Pears planted to honour her late sister, Debbie, had been felled overnight at Blackwood Forest Recreation Park.
Reynolds, who is a long-term member and secretary of the Friends of Blackwood Forest, told InDaily that she “couldn’t believe it” when she discovered that 23 trees along the avenue had been cut down at random with a saw.
“They were growing beautifully for about four and a half years and just looked absolutely glorious, and everyone was commenting how beautiful it was,” she said.
“We have watered and weeded and cared and mulched and done that for the seven years of their life, and for this person to destroy our loving hard work within minutes, you think, ‘Wow’, that’s just a blow to the guts really, a heavy blow to the heart.
“It has just broken the heart of the whole community, not only myself, but the whole community … We were totally, totally, totally devastated by that action of stupid vandalism.”
You might like
The 52 trees were planted four and a half years ago, and recognise Debbie and the other volunteers who tirelessly fought to save the recreation park area from development.
“When she died, at her funeral, people wanted to give to something that was meaningful to her, and we decided to create this Volunteer’s Avenue, not only for her, but for all the volunteers that had given their life and time and gone above and beyond to create this beautiful space for the community,” Reynolds said.
Stay informed, daily
The Friends of Blackwood Forest group took to Facebook, telling its followers that it is “seriously heartbroken” but that “we have decided to take a hopeful approach and try to get these 23 trees back to sprouting again”.
After filing a police report, Reynolds engaged a horticulturist, who told her it would cost $500 per tree to replace the felled Manchurian Pears with a species of a similar age. As such, the group has decided to help the existing trees to regrow.
“The horticulturalist has said with care, a lot will reshoot, and then we just choose the strongest leader of the reshoots and just encourage that back into a tree,” she said.
“But, of course, that tree then is seven years behind every other one, so the avenue growing as a beautiful avenue will be a patchy thing.”
Mitcham Council was contacted for comment, but directed InDaily to the State Government, which owns the land.
A spokesperson for the Department for Water and Environment (DEW) said that the department “is aware that a number of trees, which were planted by the Friends of Blackwood Forest Recreation Park to honour past volunteers, have been damaged by unknown persons”.
“Our volunteers are highly valued and make significant contributions towards caring for our national parks and public places – it is disappointing that this has occurred,” he said.
“Under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, DEW can investigate and prosecute these kinds of offences.
“Anyone with information is encouraged to report anonymously via the Crimestoppers hotline (1800 333 000) or through the Call It Out crime portal – a new initiative co-launched by DEW to protect native animals and habitat – on the Crimestoppers website.”
