East Fremantle Fights Back Against Invasive Beetle with Major Replanting
The Town of East Fremantle is launching a significant green initiative, planning to introduce thirty new trees to its urban landscape. This action directly responds to the loss of ten established trees, which were felled due to a severe infestation of the invasive polyphagous shot-hole borer. The destructive beetle had forced the council to remove some of the area's beloved canopies, creating a gap in the local environment.
State Funding Fuels Green Recovery
This environmental recovery project is powered by a $22,873 grant awarded to the town. East Fremantle was one of only twenty local governments to successfully secure funding from the inaugural round of the State Government's WA Tree Recovery Local Government Grant Program. The council will strategically use these funds to not only replace the lost trees but to triple their number, significantly boosting the area's foliage.
The planting will occur at several key public spaces, including Lee Park, Raceway Park, Henry Jeffery Oval, and on a variety of council-owned verges. This wide distribution ensures the benefits of the new canopy will be shared across the community.
Carefully Selected Trees for a Resilient Future
The new tree stock has been meticulously chosen to serve multiple environmental purposes. The selection will be a mix of waterwise varieties to conserve resources, native species endemic to Western Australia and Australia to support local ecosystems, and specific foraging trees that support local wildlife, particularly black cockatoos.
Mayor Tony Natale emphasised the strategic thinking behind the selection. He stated that the replacement trees were chosen to enhance the town's native biodiversity, contribute to overall tree canopy cover, and crucially, to help reduce the risk of further PSHB spread.
This local effort is part of the broader $7.2 million State Government Tree Recovery Program. Under this program, residents who have lost trees on their private properties to the PSHB can also seek support. They are eligible to apply for a rebate of up to $150 per tree lost due to the borer, with the rebate available for claims for up to four years.
