Fine for tree removal in Wombat State Forest

A MAN who felled seven Eucalyptus trees in the Wombat State Forest was yesterday convicted and fined $5000 at Ballarat Magistrates Court.The court heard Paul McCleary, of Avondale Heights, pushed the large trees over with an excavator last year after two had fallen across his fence at his weekender property in Newbury.Department of Environment and Sustainability prosecutor Chris Jensen told the court the trees, which were between 80 and 100 years old, were located 200m from McCleary's property which adjoined the state forest.He said the 44-year-old was interviewed at Trentham Police Station on May 17 when he told police the trees were dead and he did not know he needed a licence to cut them down.Mr Jensen said McCleary was going to give away the wood to the elderly and to the football club and sell some to repair the fence.Defence lawyer Jon Irwin said his client decided to remove the trees so they did not fall, like the first two had, across his fence and a track which entered the property.The court heard the DSE cleared the trees which amounted to 68m3 of timber.Magistrate Richard Pithouse told McCleary, a plumber, that he knew all about rules and regulations.McCleary pleaded guilty to two counts of damaging plants contrary to regulation and one count each of removing forest produce without paying a fee, killing a plant contrary to regulation, doing an act without a licence and damaging a plant contrary to regulation.He was ordered to pay $3644 compensation while the DSE was ordered to distribute the timber to people in need.