Axe to fall on city’s elms

Towering elms at the waterfront end of Geelong’s Moorabool Street face the chop, City Hall has revealed.
One of the five trees, between the waterfront and Brougham Street, would fall this Friday due to its “poor condition and a high risk to public safety”.
The remaining four had a “life expectancy of less than 10 years” said city services general manager Will Tieppo.
The first tree had deteriorated so much that it was “now completely hollow”, he said.
“We have these trees tested regularly using a sonic tomograph that measures the decay and remaining sound wood so that we can make informed decisions and minimise the risk to the community.
“Unfortunately this tree has now reached the point where it is unsafe to leave standing.”
Mr Tieppo said the other trees, all about 50 years old, had similar issues.
“These trees will be retained at this time and we monitor them and continue testing.
“We will keep them as long as we feel they are safe. Our arborists estimate that these old elms have a life expectancy of less than 10 years.”
Mr Tieppo said previous pruning practices causes the trees to decay.
“Decay is a normal process in the life of a tree. However, if the trees are pruned incorrectly it can increase the likelihood of decay and the rate in which it can spread through the tree.
“The arboricultural industry has discovered in the past 20 years that cutting branches flush with the trunk allows pathogens into the tree that cause wood decay.
“These practices have now been improved.”
The tree to be cut down would be replaced with the same species of elm, Mr Tieppo said.