MOUNT Alexander Shire will prune a protected scar tree in Harcourt after decayed timbre was found.
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Staff say some wood in the upper section of the Harmony Way tree will be removed but they want to preserve its form and shape.
Aboriginal people caused scars on trees by removing bark for various purposes, such as making canoes, containers and shields, and to build shelters.
The scars, which vary in size, expose the sapwood on the trunk or branch of a tree.
A member of Traditional Owners the Dja Dja Wurrung will be on site during the works.
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The council will not remove any scarred sections of the tree.
The tree is dead, but the council hopes to keep it around for as long as possible because of its significance to future generations.
The council hopes to finish the project by the end of the month.
Exact information about the scar tree has not been handed across the generations, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Rodney Carter said.
But it is clearly an important cultural remnant, he said.
"And it's great, too, to see a mix of values being shared there. The site is next to a memorial and a community park," Mr Carter said.
He appreciated the approach the council was going to in its efforts to recognise the links Indigenous people had with the Harcourt area, and to help share Indigenous heritage with the wider community.
The council renamed a section of the Old Calder Highway "Harmony Way" in 2012 in honour of Henry "Harmony" Nelson, a Dja Dja Wurrung Elder born around 1855.
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