Published on Monday, 17 February 2020 at 7:00:00 AM
Land holders are reminded that road verges are Reserves that belong to the Local Government or Main Roads and are not the property of the adjoining landholder.
There has been a disturbingly high number of incidents within the Shire of late whereby property owners have cleared or even set fire to road verges.
The photograph shows a case whereby a land holder cleared the verge of high quality and diverse native vegetation without seeking permission or even contacting the Shire prior.
This type of activity is illegal as ALL native vegetation in WA is protected under Legislation and prosecution can result.
Would you go onto your neighbour's property and start clearing their bushland without them knowing?
The Shire and Main Roads are allowed to remove regrowth within the maintenance zone of the road verge but unless the Department of Water and Environmental regulation (DWER) has issued an appropriate licence further clearing of the road reserve is strictly not permitted.
The Shire will also prune road verge vegetation for line of sight and road safety concerns.
The Shire supports land holders who wish to manage weeds such as wild oats on the road verge in order to reduce fire risk and in some cases will issue a permit to burn a section of road verge.
Land holders are also allowed to clear 1.5 metres into the road reserve to install and maintain a fence line. This then creates a 3 metre wide cleared zone which added to the 3 metre width of the property fire break will provide a six metre and a very effective break which is perfectly legal.
The Toodyay Shire and community value their road verges as they are a tourism and ecological asset featuring wildflower displays and providing precious habitat and corridors for wildlife. Within the Shire we have nine registered Flora Roads which in Spring highlight the extraordinary botanical diversity of the this area, conveniently represented along the roadsides.
Please contact the Shire of Toodyay or submit a request for works if you have concerns about road verges.
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