If a tree or some form of vegetation is situated on your property, you are perfectly within your rights to convene with your local government and council about having it removed. However, you can’t simply have the tree removed without council approval, as this can result in a serious fine. Indeed, the matter can be quite complicated and complex, so if you are unsure about anything, it is best to get in contact with a professional who can provide assistance.
Call an arborist
Before doing anything radical, call an arborist. The team at Urban Arbor are incredibly experienced in the field and can provide sound technical advice on what you can do when it comes to having a tree removed. In fact, most council bodies will ask for a report from a certified arborist before approving the removal of a tree. This is because the council wants to protect the natural environment as much as possible and will strive to prevent the destruction of endangered tree species. Moreover, many people take pride in their garden, so disrupting it in some way is often unwanted.
Naturally, if you believe that a tree or some form of vegetation needs to be removed from your property for whatever reason (e.g. safety), it is crucial that you contact an arborist before setting any plans in motion.
When you don’t need approval
There are certain situations where you won’t need government approval. If you live in the Sutherland Shire, council regulations outline that you do not need government approval if you are only pruning the tree canopy, so long as this is less than 10%.
Furthermore, you are within your rights to prune a branch that extends over the roof of your residence. You are allowed to prune any relevant branches back to the gutter line of your home, albeit no further than that. Having said this, if the vegetation is heritage listed, you must convene with your local council before anything is done to the tree or its branches. Suffice to say, the fines can get pretty expensive if you’re not careful.
Can an arborist remove the tree from my property?
An arborist is not actually directly involved in the removal of a tree. In fact, their work comes well before the tree is even removed. So what exactly does an arborist do?
Also known as a tree surgeon, an arborist can provide detailed reports that are often used when acquiring approval from the government to have a tree removed. They can also perform what is known as a tree safety audit, which essentially assesses the relative safety of all trees on a private property. They can act as expert witnesses in government cases and perform root investigations, during which they map out the root network of trees. This is particularly important if you want to have a driveway installed on your property and you do not want to disrupt a root network.
Who can remove the tree?
Basically, once approval has been granted by your local council, check out a variety of tree removal firms that can handle all the manual labour for you. When it comes to tree lopping services, always consult a professional.