Essential Energy to recommence street tree pruning in Goulburn

The council has had several meetings with the provider about its approach in recent years.

They started in 2015 when former Goulburn Mulwaree Mayor Geoff Kettle labelled the 'trimming' as "appalling."

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"They've just made a mockery out of our heritage trees. We have arborists on council staff who would be able to do this job much better," he said at the time.

General manager Warwick Bennett also fired off a strongly worded letter to Essential Energy the same year.

"It is with dismay and almost anger that we as a council have to write this letter to you about the tree trimming in Goulburn City," he wrote at the time..

"We had a commitment from Essential Energy that prior to any further trimming of trees in this city you would consult and negotiate with us.

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"In what can only be described as an arrogant attitude, Essential Energy have trimmed further trees beyond what any community or any reasonable person would consider acceptable."

Then Deputy Mayor Kirk was similarly vocal and drew contrasts with the way Goulburn's Japanese sister city, Shibetsu handled the issue. He joined Goulburn's street tree working party the following year. It was formed in part due to reaction over the trimming.

Now, Essential Energy has announced it would shortly begin vegetation management in Goulburn and the surrounding area as part of routine maintenance around NSW.

"Managing the vegetation that's growing close to powerlines plays a crucial role in maintaining reliable power and community safety, especially in readiness for bushfire and or storm season," the provider's south eastern operations manager, Darren Basterfield said.

"Our specialist contractors do everything they can to strike a balance between keeping the local trees and bushes, and maintaining reliable power supply for the community.

"Trees and powerlines can be a deadly combination, with branches coming into contact with overhead powerlines posing a serious hazard to people and wildlife."

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He said Essential Energy used directional pruning techniques that removed branches growing towards a powerline and encouraged re-growth away from the power network. This was considered "best practice" by the arboriculture industry and was used by most power companies in Australia.

The pruning is aimed at ensuring minimum safety clearances are maintained between trees and overhead powerlines.

Cr Kirk hoped the company remembered its previous conversations with the council.

"(We asked) them to work in conjunction with ratepayers and do it to a standard that we can live with, not cutting the guts out of the tree," he said.

"I hope that message prevails and I'll be checking with our works department to ensure there's a liaison person."

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Essential Energy gave an undertaking in 2015 that it would communicate with the council before street tree pruning was carried out.

Cr Kirk said it wasn't just Goulburn that faced the problem but many other towns and cities across Australia as well.

Essential Energy says it consults with councils, private landholders and National Parks on vegetation management activities. The pruning is conducted in accordance with the NSW Energy Industry standard for Vegetation Management.

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