Tree Policy
The Council actively looks after many trees in our parks and reserves, cemeteries and road berms. A policy has been prepared by the Parks and Open Spaces Section of the Council to guide the planting, monitoring, pruning, trimming, and removal of trees in these areas.
The policy highlights the benefits of trees, their multiple functions and the ways in which they help improve the condition of our environment. There are also challenges in managing trees as although they have many positive attributes, trees can also cause nuisance and damage, carry a level of risk and at times lead to disharmony between neighbours, residents, infrastructure providers and the Council.
Balancing the benefits and the challenges is central to managing trees and the policy is intended to help this.
Although the policy is mostly concerned with managing trees on Council administered land, it also addresses aspects of managing vegetation on private land BUT only in circumstances where:
- this vegetation overhangs public places; and
- notable trees are present.
The Council has reviewed its Tree Policy 2020. Feedback on the reviewed Policy was received from 25 January to 7 March. The feedback received will now be considered by the Council prior to a new Policy being adopted.