A Canning Vale resident has raised concerns about the removal of mature eucalyptus trees along Ranford Road and what he describes as delays and confusion around their replacement.
Five large trees were removed from the centre median of Ranford Road as part of a bus lane widening and turning lane extension project involving the City of Canning and the City of Gosnells.
Wade Retallack said he began contacting both councils in late 2024 after noticing the trees had been felled and said he was concerned there was no clear plan in place at the time for replacement planting.
“I first contacted the City of Canning before the project started after seeing the plans online,” Mr Retallack said. “From my perspective, there didn’t appear to be a clear replacement plan when the trees were removed.”
In a written response to the Examiner, the City of Canning confirmed the five trees were removed to enable the Ranford Road bus lane project, which it said was designed to reduce congestion and improve safety.
The city said the works were assessed through its infrastructure planning and approvals process and that tree removal was only considered after all reasonable retention or mitigation options were exhausted.
The City of Canning said it has committed to planting replacement trees along Ranford Road in winter 2026.
“Ten new trees have already been planted in Ranford Parkland to offset the removals,” the city said. “Additional replacement planting along Ranford Road is scheduled for winter 2026, taking advantage of the best conditions for successful establishment.”
The city said the species and final number of replacement trees would be confirmed through streetscape planning, taking into account site conditions, underground services and long-term canopy outcomes.
It also said its usual practice is to plant two trees for every one removed, where space and site conditions allow.
Mr Retallack said he met with City of Canning officers on site in late November and later received written confirmation that replacement trees would be planted in the Ranford Road median next year.
“While I’m pleased there is now a commitment in writing, I’m frustrated that it took months of follow-up for that to happen,” he said.
The City of Gosnells, which carried out the road works, said a total of 49 trees were removed as part of the broader project.
In a statement attributed to Chief Executive Officer Ian Cowie, the City of Gosnells said tree replacement works for the project had already been completed, with 81 trees planted within the City of Gosnells and 10 planted within the City of Canning.
“Due to the reduced verge width and the presence of major underground services along Ranford Road, the trees were planted in a nearby reserve to ensure their long-term health and growth,” the statement said.
The City of Gosnells said the replacement trees were planted in Emerald Park Reserve and included a mix of species such as eucalyptus, marri, bottlebrush, paperbark and tuckeroo.
It said the two councils worked collaboratively on tree removal and replacement activities, with the City of Gosnells supplying replacement trees to the City of Canning.
Mr Retallack said his broader concern was about what he sees as a lack of advance planning around tree loss during infrastructure projects.
“I’m not asking for anything extra,” he said. “I’m just asking for fair and reasonable planning so that when large trees are removed, replacement is clearly planned from the start.”.
