A committee has raised concerns about the ACT government's decision to remove dying pine trees from Albert Hall.
City Services will be removing about 160 Pinus radiata trees this week as part of its "Urban Forest Strategy".
The Friends of the Albert Hall say they understand the need for the removal but disagree with the government's approach to it.
The current trees are to be replaced by 50 alternatives including a different kind of pine tree because the original Pinus radiata type is now defined as a pest under the Pest Plants and Animals Act 2005.
"The trees that are being removed have reached the end of their safe and useful life and, as they are classified as a weed species," a spokesperson for the ACT government said.
"They will be replaced with an alternative species. No trees of heritage significance will be removed."
But the president of the Friends of the Albert Hall, Rosemary Hollow, said the group wasn't consulted about cutting down the trees.
Albert Hall is listed on the Heritage Register, and Ms Hollow said she can't accept the land around the hall being used for the strategy.
"The trees do need replacing, but we are really not happy about the lack of consultation from the government towards Friends of the Albert Hall," she said.
Ms Hollow said the most concerning part is the choice of replacement tree.
"I was extremely concerned when the consultant told me they had already selected trees for planting including pine trees, which we think should not be planted next to a heritage building due to their high flammability," she said.
"The building is on the Heritage Register, so why are they replanting extremely flammable trees next to something they are trying to protect?"
For years, Friends of the Albert Hall have been encouraging the ACT government to come up with a land management plan for the hall's surrounding green space.
Ms Hollow said that is the best way appropriate decisions around the area, with its heritage status in mind, will be made.
"We received such limited information and therefore had no say, and the ACT government paid a consultant so much money while we have been begging for a land management plan which would allow the community to contribute," she said.
"I think the ACT government needs to better consider the heritage classification of the building when they are making these decisions."
In an email to the ACT government, Ms Hollow questioned the reasoning behind the decision.
The ACT government said that it had consulted. "Approval for the tree removals was sought through the National Capital Authority and the ACT Heritage Council," the spokesperson said.
"The ACT Heritage Council confirmed the trees being removed are not of heritage significance and advised any replacement plantings should improve the views between Albert Hall and Lake Burley Griffin."
