Councils to discuss dangerous trees at meeting called by the LGA

The Local Government Association has called a meeting to discuss how trees are managed by councils in light of two tragic deaths caused by falling limbs.

A tree branch fell onto a pergola, trapping and killing a man on Amanda Drive, Surrey Downs. Picture: Mike Burton

The state’s peak council group will call an emergency meeting to discuss tree management in light of two recent deaths caused by falling tree limbs.

The Local Government Association will convene the meeting, for councils across the state, next month.

Environmental and legal experts will be invited to attend the meeting, as councils face pressure to do more to prevent tragedies such as the deaths of Wayne Couch at his Surrey Downs home on Saturday, and Judy Ditter, whose car was struck by a falling tree limb in the Adelaide Hills last month.

The announcement of the meeting also comes a day after a large gum tree dropped a limb on a parked car on South Terrace in the city, crushing the front of the car and leaving a woman injured.

LGA president Angela Evans.

LGA president Angela Evans said the deaths can caused “considerable concern in our communities”.

“My thoughts are with the families, friends and neighbours impacted by these terrible events,” Ms Evans said.

“Metropolitan councils already have a range of programs in place to assess, monitor and maintain trees on council land.

“The roundtable will be an opportunity to share information about these programs, hear from the experts in tree management, and explore the relationship between the management of trees and the State Government’s target to increase metropolitan tree cover by 20 per cent by 2045.”

Under current laws, councils have no power to compel ratepayers to do anything about potentially dangerous trees on private land, unless they pose a danger to public land.

Councils are also not automatically responsible for damage caused by street trees.

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