Frequently Asked Questions
ELLENBROOK
How many EHB infestations have been discovered in Ellenbrook?
There have been three confirmed European House Borer infestations in the suburb of Ellenbrook and one infestation in the Vale Estate (previously part of Ellenbrook). Each infestation requires the establishment of a Priority Management Zone (PMZ) and the removal of all host material within that area. PMZs include all properties within a 100 metre radius of the infested site.
The Ellenbrook area also includes the Gnangara pine plantation, which overlaps a number of suburb boundaries. Within the plantation are a large number of infested sites, although the entire plantation (originally 21,000 hectares with 4 million trees) is classified as one PMZ.
Why is my home at risk from EHB if it only lives in trees?
Many houses in Ellenbrook are directly adjacent to the highly infested Gnangara pine plantation, and the risk of EHB beetles migrating from the plantation to these homes should be of serious concern to residents.
EHB infests not only the deadwood inclusions of live pine trees and pine waste material, but also untreated structural pine timbers and pine products. Since 2000, untreated pine has become the building material of choice for most new homes and renovations, such as those built in Ellenbrook.
When will pine trees be removed from infested areas in Ellenbrook?
The goal is to have all pine trees removed from PMZ areas by 2012 for residential areas and 2015 for plantations, and then verification completed for all areas by 2021. Some trees have already been removed.
Trees within the Gnangara pine plantation cannot be removed in the short term due to the enormity of such a task, although DAFWA would like to see harvesting completed within the next eight years.
Exact timeframes and tree removal goals are still the subject of consultation with stakeholders and the local community, including the Forest Products Commission, the Department of Environment and Conservation, the City of Swan and local developers. A process has begun to decide on a plan that will be suitable to all stakeholder and community needs, including which trees to remove first, as well as starting and finishing dates.
In the short term, the EHB Response would like to see the harvest of trees to create a 2km buffer between the Gnangara pine plantation and Ellenbrook housing.
Are there plans to replace removed pine trees with other trees?
The City of Swan Landscaping Committee will be responsible for the replanting of trees in areas where pine trees have been removed. The committee is currently considering replanting and landscaping options, although no decisions have been made.
Will I be contacted before pine trees are removed from my property?
If pine trees are located on your property, and your property is within an infested area in Ellenbrook (PMZ), you will be contacted and visited by an EHB Tree Removal Supervisor Manager. You will be asked to sign documentation, and then the Tree Removal Supervisor will liaise between yourself and an approved contractor about a start date and time for the tree/s to be removed in addition to any other job related queries you may have.
The Tree Removal Supervisor will monitor the contractor's work and progress, will be on-site daily to ensure work is undertaken to EHB Response standards, and will ensure the property is left in the same condition it was found. The EHB response has been funded to remove pine trees from private properties within PMZs at no cost to the property owner under normal circumstances.
What happens if I refuse to have trees removed from my property?
Should property owners within PMZs refuse to have their pine trees removed, EHB Officers will in the first instance ensure that owners are fully aware of the issues concerning EHB.
However, pine tree removal in infested areas is mandatory. If refusal is maintained, Section 10 of the Agriculture and Related Resources Protection (European House Borer) Regulations 2006 gives EHB Officers the authority to issue a Direction Notice, which provides owners with a set period of time to remove the pine trees at their own cost.
If at the end of this period, pine trees have not been removed, EHB officers will be given authority to bring contractors to the property to carry out the tree removal, and costs will be recovered from the property owners through legal avenues.
Can you guarantee the safety of my house when removing trees?
When removing pine trees close to houses and buildings, trees are removed in pieces rather than clear felled. Safety procedures ensure that each piece is removed without posing any danger to nearby buildings. All contractors engaged by the EHB Response are highly experienced professionals who are insured for such work.
Will I be inconvenienced by ongoing tree removal in Ellenbrook?
The removal of trees close to residential housing may create a minimal amount of noise for a short period of time. However, you can be assured that tree removal will be undertaken during business hours and will not cause any great inconvenience.
What about the Gnangara pine plantation?
All pine trees in the Gnangara pine plantation will eventually be removed. Timeframes are still subject to inter agency negotiation.
There are also a number of pending issues relating to the Gnangara Sustainability Strategy, which looks at the effect the trees are having on the Gnangara mound water supply. Current developments on this issue can be found on the sustainability strategy website.
Will removal of all pine trees from infested areas in Ellenbrook prevent future infestation of my home?
The removal of pine trees from infested areas in Ellenbrook will minimise the risk of EHB migrating to nearby homes. EHB only infests untreated and dead pine wood, and therefore cannot survive without its host material.
However, there is concern that EHB beetles may have already migrated to some Ellenbrook homes due to the close proximity of the infested Gnangara pine plantation. The absence of any discoveries may be due to the fact that untreated pine has only been used since 2000, and that it is too soon to see infestations because of the EHB long life cycle.
EHB larvae, which can live between two and 10 years, are almost impossible to detect. They bore through wood without ever breaking the surface, and are usually only detected when they emerge through from the wood as an adult beetle, thereby creating exit holes.
Ongoing surveillance will play an important role in eradication once the pine trees have been removed. Door knocking and roof inspections of properties within Ellenbrook will continue to determine untreated pine wood presence and possible infestation. If EHB is discovered in a home, expensive fumigation of the entire house will be the only option.
What other suburbs in the City of Swan have been effected by EHB?
EHB has been discovered in a number of suburbs within the City of Swan, including:
- Melaleuca
- Bullsbrook
- Lexia
- Avely
- Henley Brook
- Brigadoon
- Belhus
- West Swan
- Hazelmere
In all, EHB has been detected on 148 properties across 30 Perth suburbs, primarily in the Mundaring Hills and Gnangara/Ellenbrook areas.
For more information about EHB and the EHB Response, visit www.ehb.wa.gov.au or freecall 1800 084 881
For detailed enquiries, contact Graham McAlpine, EHB Response Planning Manager on 9366 2361 or 0429 884 230
|
