Staff reporters
Lennox Head’s popular Williams Reserve will come under close surveillance over the upcoming summer school holidays after a large section of vegetation was destroyed recently in a brazen attack where a fence was removed and trees hacked down to make way for a BMX track.
Ballina Shire Council B-ward councillors were told this week the major damage on the western side of the reserve included native coastal vegetation classified as an endangered ecological community in an area recently regenerated by local Landcare volunteers.
A council staff report said BMX jumps were created by digging out areas and mounding soil, vegetation removed and heavy pruning and removal of trees carried out.
Rangers believe the use of a chainsaw suggested adults or older teenagers were involved.
They say a fence adjacent to the scout hall was removed to gain access to the area and vehicles appeared to have used the track to get in and out of the reserve.
In their report, council staff said rangers spoke ‘with the young people involved’, but ‘work continued to be carried out and only ceased at the end of the school holidays’.
Lennox Head Landcare volunteers spent hundreds of hours working in and around the area.
People who damage or destroy endangered ecological communities face hefty fines.
The staff report says one of the damaged fences has been repaired and large rocks placed adjacent to the scout hall to replace the fence that was removed and block the way to further unauthorised vehicle access.
Staff say remediation works were carried out straightaway, but funding was needed for bush regeneration and further repair work.
Locals are being urged to report any damage to council as soon as possible.
