Damaged fig to be removed - Anderson Gardens
Date published: 17 May 2021
A damaged fig (ficus) tree will be removed by Townsville City Council from Anderson Gardens this Wednesday (19 May) after it showed signs of significant damage to its trunk.
The fig, which is located within the gardens adjacent to the intersection of Hugh Street and Fulham Road, was assessed by Council’s certified and experienced arborist and identified as a safety risk to the community.
Community Health, Safety and Environmental Sustainability Committee chair Maurie Soars said the poor condition of the tree meant Council needed to remove it.
“Our crews had been monitoring this particular fig and after an assessment by Council’s certified arborist it was found the structural integrity of the tree has been compromised,” Cr Soars said.
“Unfortunately there is a large crack right down the middle of the trunk, leaving us no choice but to remove this fig.
“While we love the natural amenity our trees provide both Townsville and Anderson Gardens, it is vital we put the safety of our community first.”
Cr Soars said the removal was expected to take up to three days and would include the Council crews grinding the remaining stump to ground level.
“The removal of trees is always a last resort for Council, however this fig’s poor health and decay has meant it needs to be removed,” Cr Soars said.
“Council has an extremely experienced arborist who conducts assessments around Townsville, however we encourage people to report any trees that may pose a danger to our community.”
Council will plant another fig nearby to replaced the removed tree.
