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Free tree removal program helping to fight fruit fly

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 20:51:00

Thousands of Sunraysia residents have chosen to remove their fruit trees over the past three years, helping to reduce fruit fly activity and support their local industries and community.

The Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area’s free tree removal program is available once more this fruit fly season, so now is the optimum time for people to have unwanted trees taken out before they are loaded with fruit, infested with fruit fly, and dropping fruit all over the garden.
Since the tree removal program began in 2016, GSPFA has removed 6280 fruit fly host trees, including 2903 stone fruit trees, 1252 citrus, 845 pome, and 1275 other varieties.
Residents in Mildura, Merbein, Irymple, Red Cliffs and surrounds are leading the fight against fruit fly, with more than 3400 host trees removed in the area over the last three years.
GSPFA Regional Coordinator Narelle Beattie said managing fruit trees against fruit fly was difficult, and people often underestimated the time, money and effort required to do it properly.
“Most of the people who participated in the program decided to remove their trees because they were too much work, they were sick of picking up fruit, and their trees were too big,” Ms Beattie said.
“It was a difficult decision for many of them, but their trees had become too hard to manage, and they wanted to do the right thing for the local area. Participants found the removal process to be easy and efficient and were relieved they no longer had to worry about managing their trees.”
Ms Beattie said the program had been successful in eliminating fruit fly host plants from across the area, however, there was still more to be done.
“If people can’t get rid of fruit fly or don’t want to manage their trees, they need to make sure they’re not the cause of infestations for our valuable horticulture industries,” she said.
Victorian residents who live between Yelta and Kerang, either in town or on a residential block in rural areas, can have their unwanted fruit trees removed by professional arborists at no cost to the householder.
The work is funded by the Victorian Government’s Managing Fruit Fly Regional Grant Program. Conditions apply. For more information or to register for free tree removal, visit www.pestfreearea.com.au or contact GSPFA on (03) 5022 0327.