Urban Forest Management Policy
Consultation has concluded
At the Council Meeting on 6 June 2017 Council resolved to place a draft Urban Forest Management Policy on public exhibition for a minimum of 28 days. The draft policy is attached and comments can be made in writing to the General Manager, via the submission form below or through Council's website: mosman.nsw.gov.au/contact/
Comments open 16 June 2017 and close 19 July 2017.
What is the Urban Forest?
The Urban Forest includes the totality of trees and shrubs on all public and private land in and around urban areas (including bushland, parkland, gardens and street trees). It can be measured as a canopy cover percentage of the total area and is recognised as a primary component of the urban ecosystem.
The Urban Forest provides benefits such as natural beauty, visual interest, and softening rigid lines and harsh textures (aesthetics); micro-climatic influence, reduction in glare and the effects of wind and solar radiation (climatic); reducing cooling costs, asset protection and increased property values (economic); stormwater management, reduction in air pollution, and improving biodiversity (environmental); and public and private amenity (social).
The management of the Urban Forest seeks to achieve a balance between the competing needs of the environment, budget limitations, utilities and infrastructure, legal obligations, and the desires of local residents to protect the investment they have made in their properties.
Why the review?
Currently there are seven policies that deal with the management of trees in Mosman. It is considered that these can be rationalised into one policy: the draft Urban Forest Management Policy. This policy consolidates seven existing policies adopted or amended by Council between 1992 and 2012.
Table 1 below lists existing tree policies and the reasons for rescission. All seven existing policies are also attached. There are no significant changes to existing practices proposed.
Policy | Adopted | Reason for rescission |
| Trees - Replacement | 11/06/1992 | Incorporated into the proposed Urban Forest Management Policy and therefore no longer required. |
| Coral Trees | 23/10/2001 | Coral trees are listed as exempt species under Clause 5.9 of MLEP 2012 so policy intend is upheld and therefore policy is no longer required |
| Trees - Removal from Public Land | 9/07/2002 | Incorporated into the proposed Urban Forest Management Policy and therefore no longer required. |
| Policy for Pruning Trees on Public Land | 7/03/2006 | Incorporated into the proposed Urban Forest Management Policy and therefore no longer required. |
| Donation of Memorial Trees | 22/08/2000 | Incorporated into the proposed Urban Forest Management Policy and therefore no longer required. |
| Illegal Tree Poisoning - Shrouding | 14/03/2000 | Incorporated into the proposed Urban Forest Management Policy and therefore no longer required. |
| Urban Forest Policy | 2/08/2004 Reviewed March 2010 and 2012 | Policy amended to incorporate other tree policies and include compliance and up-to-date MLEP information. |
Table 1: Existing tree policies, adoption dates and reasons for rescission
Comment
The draft Urban Forest Management Policy will provide Council staff and the community with one clear tree management policy document that is easy to read, is reflective of current public and private tree management practices (including current tree management processes managed by staff), and achieve the desired outcome of having a sustainable balanced tree coverage in the Mosman Local Government Area, whilst providing residents with the tools to manage trees to protect the investment they have made in their property.
In adopting the draft policy for public consultation, it was agreed that Council foreshadow the Norfolk Island Hibiscus as an exempt species in the policy and that action to place this species on Council’s exempt list and noxious weeds plan be pursued.
