Lane Cove Council vows strong legal action after 296 trees illegally cut down in 'worst act of vandalism'

The tree killings were first reported last week to Lane Cove Council. (ABC News: Gavin Coote)

Another mass killing of trees has occurred in an affluent area overlooking Sydney Harbour, in what the local council has described as the “worst act of environmental vandalism” in the area’s history.

Almost 300 trees have been illegally chopped down on public land next to harbour-front homes in the lower north shore suburb of Longueville, in the Lane Cove Council area.

The trees, which range in sizes and species including a number of large Sydney red gums, have been chainsawed and removed from the area without approval, leaving behind a barren tract of land along the waterfront.

The destruction of trees at this scale is “outrageous”, Mayor Scott Bennison said.

He said it had similarities to an incident earlier this year in the Willoughby Council area but, unlike that case, council believed it had identified those behind the damage.

“Staff have already been liaising with council’s lawyers and subject to the legal advice we will be seeking prosecution in the Land and Environment Court,” Mr Bennison said.

“To assist in this process our staff are currently documenting and mapping every tree that has been removed to ensure that we have the appropriate information to assist in the legal process.”

Lane Cove Council general manager Craig Wrightson said the tree killings were first reported last week, and that staff had since been documenting the scale of the destruction.

“It’s outrageous. It’s actually the worst act of environmental vandalism in Lane Cove’s history,” he said.

“Our investigations are well advanced in identifying who’s responsible and that will no doubt give us some greater insight into how they did it.”

On Monday, staff members placed pink ribbons on each destroyed tree, which totalled 296.

Councils can issue a maximum on-the-spot fine of $3,000 for illegal tree removals by individuals, or $6,000 for businesses.

Mr Wrightson said the council was getting legal advice about the best course of action, which could include seeking penalties of up to $1 million through a prosecution in the NSW Land and Environment Court.

“Really, we need to send the strongest possible message that this is going to be dealt with in the most firm action possible,” Mr Wrightson said.

“Because we can’t have other people thinking you can get away with these type of things.”

An ongoing battle

It comes just months after 265 trees were poisoned and destroyed in bushland between houses and the waterfront at Castle Cove, in Willoughby Council.

The Willoughby Council called for the person behind it to be sent to jail, and was offering a reward of up to $10,000 for anyone with information that leads to a successful prosecution.

That event killed trees up to 100 years old, and covered an area the size of about 14 tennis courts.

Lane Cove Bushland Conservation Society president Shauna Forrest said the local community was in shock at the latest act of vandalism.

“The size of the devastation is astounding,” she said.

Ms Forrest said it was an affront to ongoing bush regeneration efforts in Lane Cove by volunteers and council staff.

“These are native trees, and it’s estimated fifty to a hundred large native trees have been cleared, so it’s pretty devastating for wildlife,” she said.

Ms Forrest said the conservation society would lobby for banners to be installed in the area announcing that the trees had been cleared.