‘An overreach’: Council’s wild new pruning rules

The new policy has faced major backlash from some residents who say they should not need permission from council for their own trees.

A local council has voted to make pruning trees on your own property illegal to protect “mature plant species” in the area.

Residents in Bassendean near Perth will now need council approval before doing any “tree damaging activities” or removing large “regulated” trees on their property under the new tree protection.

An Aussie council is going to great lengths to preserve its tree canopy proposing fines for residents who prune mature trees. Picture: Town of Bassendean

“Tree damaging activities” includes severing any of the tree’s branches, limbs, stems or trunk of a tree.

The move comes as Bassendean attempts to increase tree coverage by 30 per cent before 2040.

“The Town considers that the retention of mature trees provides a wide range of public benefits,” the council wrote in their decision.

“These include mitigating the urban heat island effect by offering natural shade and cooling.

“Mature trees also contribute significantly to the aesthetic appeal and character of streetscapes, helping to foster a sense of place and enhancing the amenity of an area.”

The town said the move would also promote “biodiversity:”

“This, in turn, helps create and maintain biodiversity corridors and linkages to the Town’s reserves and the river foreshore,” the decision stated.

The decision has not come without backlash from residents.

The policy campaign for the decision. Picture: Town of Bassendean

The council explains that a “regulated” tree is defined as one over eight metres high with an average branch span of at least six metres.

Eden Hill resident Derek Bannister told Perth Now the policy was an “overreach”.

“It is an overreach by council to … dictate what people can do on their own land as far as looking after and maintaining their homes,” he said.

“I would like to highlight the fact that I drive around Bassendean and I see the council can’t look after trees on what is their property.

“I am opposed to this because I see that council can’t look after their own stuff.”

Many residents are unhappy about the new rules. Picture: Town of Bassendean

Mayor of the Town of Bassendean Kathryn Hamilton. Picture: Supplied

Bassendean mayor Kathryn Hamilton told Perth Now council was committed to keeping the current tree canopy.

“We understand that while pruning or removal of trees may sometimes be necessary, it is our goal to work collaboratively with property owners to find solutions that preserve as many mature trees as possible,” she said.

“These trees not only enhance our streetscapes and reduce the urban heat island effect but also provide important habitat for local biodiversity.

“By working together, we aim to deliver these community benefits for future generations.”

Bassendean is just the second council in Western Australia to introduce the new regulations.

In April, the Glen Eira City Council in Melbourne announced it was introducing similar laws. Residents found to have chopped down tree without council approval could face a $2,000 fine.

The NSW government has also set a target of 40 per cent canopy tree cover for Greater Sydney.

Originally published as ‘An overreach’: Council’s wild new pruning rules