Community members and leaders have been left shocked and confused following the discovery of a jarrah tree that was recently cut down along the proposed pathway of the Bunbury Outer Ring Road.
The jarrah tree is believed to be more than 420 years old and featured large nesting hollows, home to critically endangered western ringtail possums.
Friends Of The Gelorup Corridor spokesperson Rosina Mogg said trees such as the one cut down should be afforded heritage listing protection.
“Just recently our local council has updated the protection status on historical buildings within the shire,” she said.
“Some 90 year old buildings have been given category A protection, and yet we have ancient trees housing animals on the brink of extinction in line for the bulldozers.”
Shire of Capel chief executive Ian McCabe said the shire had undertaken an internal investigation and determined it had not undertaken any works associated with the tree being felled.
Main Roads also confirmed it did not fell or give permission to fell the tree, a spokesperson said they were concerned it had occurred while a thorough environmental process was still underway.
Ms Mogg said residents were assisting authorities to ensure the perpetrator was held to account.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation said it had received a complaint concerning the incident and would assess whether the removal of the tree was in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act 1986.
The EP provides convictions for an offence of this nature of up to $500,000 for a body corporate and $250,000 for an individual.