Major transport projects and last month's severe wind storm are expected to leave the ACT government's mulching sites with a surplus of timber.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But the Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate has warned would-be log pilferers of severe fines for stealing wood left on the side of the road during projects such as the light rail construction and Cotter Road duplication.
About 1000 tonnes of logs and 300 cubic metres of mulch ended up at the government's storage sites at Curtin and Mitchell in 2016.
That included timber taken from the start of the light rail of Cotter Road works, as well as other work sites around the city and safety clearing.
Timber cut during bushfire hazard reduction, infrastructure programs and tree maintenance are deposited at the sites each year.
Site workers mulch felled trees at the site, which is used in the city's public garden beds and other areas to enrich soil and lower the government's dependence on herbicides to deal with weeds.
A TCCS spokesman said the government expected more timber to be deposited at the sites in 2017 compared to the previous year.
"Higher volumes of timber are expected this year a result of storms and large scale capital infrastructure works such as the Cotter Road duplication and light rail construction," the spokesman said.
An unexpected wind storm that struck Canberra on January 14 knocked over hundreds of trees and branches onto roadways and houses, as well as knocking out power to about 16,000 households.
The SES and Access Canberra received 1783 for help between January 13 and 15 and TCCS crews were still working through a backlog of requests to cut trees down as recently as this week.
The project to remove about 358 trees to make room for the light rail project along Northbourne Avenue between Antill and Alinga streets restarted last month.
Trees have continued to be cleared along stage two of the Cotter Road duplication between the Tuggeranong Parkway and the Equestrian Park.
Even before the wood has been removed from the construction sites, members of the public are not allowed to take it, and could face fines for any theft.
The TCCS spokesman said no wood was reported stolen from the work sites, but some timber was stolen from both government storage sites last winter.
The perpetrators for the theft have not yet been identified.
"The unauthorised removal of stockpiled material from government storage sites or work sites is a criminal offence and offenders can be prosecuted," the spokesman said.
"People should think twice before cutting or removing fallen native timber from public land."
The maximum fines for removal are $7500 for individuals or $37,500 for corporations, which is consistent with the penalty for other types of theft in the ACT.
