Living With the Bush

 ALL four local people I knew who died in February's bushfires fought to see the green wedge enshrined in legislation. I am outraged to think their legacy may be the destruction of native vegetation due to State Government intentions to reduce the need for removal permits (The Age, 31/8).

Protecting neighbourhood character is a core reason for rejecting development in Eltham. With that obstacle gone, the welcome mat is out for developers.

Referring to native vegetation for "clearing" and as "rubbish" or "scrub" only serves to reinforce the frontier mentality of taming the bush. Native vegetation is not the enemy.

Living in any fire-prone area means understanding the risk. Live in city apartments if this is not to your liking, but do not destroy the lungs of Melbourne under the guise of saving lives.

Those screaming for fuel reduction are wrong if they think tree and vegetation removal even figure in the big picture of reducing the impact of fire - quite the opposite. I am proud to have rejected such proposals for subdivision.

Margaret Jennings, former mayor, Nillumbik Shire, Eltham