Overview
To ensure the long-term sustainability of our region's tree canopy and overall urban environment, we have updated the Public Tree Removal - Amenity Valuation Policy. The updated policy is currently open for public exhibition, and we are actively seeking community involvement to ensure that your aspirations are considered and well-understood. Your participation is encouraged and valued in Council decision making.
In September 2019, Dubbo Regional Council adopted the Public Tree Removal – Amenity Valuation Policy after community consultation. This policy allows for the calculation of the value of individual or groups of trees using a specific formula. The formula considers factors such as tree size, species, aesthetic value, location, and overall condition.
The adoption and implementation of the Policy has proven to be extremely successful in helping to retain our public trees. Since the implementation of the Policy an estimated 60 public trees have been retained in our landscapes.
To reflect an increased knowledge base as the policy is implemented, and changing community expectations, the adopted policy has been reviewed and redrafted with changes:
- The Director Community Culture and Places is the final approval authority for the removal of public trees for civil infrastructure works or emergency works.
- A clause allowing Council to pursue and recoup the amenity value of a tree or trees where a tree has been wilfully killed, and the individual/s can be positively identified. In these instances, the latest data on the tree and images will be used to calculate the value of the tree/s.
- The $/cm (Diameter at Breast Height) table has been updated using the 2020 available figures.
If adopted the updated Public Tree Removal – Amenity Valuation Policy will be uploaded to the Council website and made available to the public.
View the full amendments here
The draft Public Tree Removal - Amenity Valuation Policy is attached. You can view by following the link.
Frequently Asked Questions
Public trees are those located on public land within Dubbo, such as those found within the public open space network and street trees, that are owned by the public and are managed on their behalf by Dubbo Regional Council. This Policy will apply to all public trees located inside the 80km urban zones, and within the public open space network.
It does not include trees located on private property.
Trees make a valuable contribution to the way that humans observe and interact with their environment. In the urban setting particularly, trees play a significant role in the aesthetic softening of the built environment through their shape and their foliage and floral displays.
This aesthetic contribution by urban trees has a value to the general public that can be calculated and potentially recouped in circumstances where trees are requested or required to be removed.
In September 2019 Council adopted the use of the modified version of the City of Melbourne model that uses Yau’s 1990 modified Maurer-Hoffman formula. This model takes into account a number of factors including the size of the tree (that is related somewhat to the age of the tree), the species of the tree, the aesthetic value of the tree (for example is it a single tree, or part of an evenly planted avenue), its location (such as whether it is a reserve, village, residential street or park) and its overall condition (such as health, vigour, life expectancy).
To determine the Total Charge, both the removal cost and the re-instatement and establishment costs are continued to be based on the actual costs of undertaking the works. This is shown below:
Removal Cost + Amenity Cost + Re-instatement and Establishment = Total Charge
The basic monetary value of the tree was taken from the internationally accepted table of values devised by the American Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers and the International Society of Arboriculture. Initially this was based on a $/inch2 of trunk basal area. This has since been converted to a $/cm2 and is periodically updated.
The amenity value of the tree is calculated through the formula below by a Level 5 arborist.
Value (V) = Basic Value ($) x Species (S) x Aesthetics (A) x Locality (L) x Condition (C)
- The basic monetary value of a tree is determined by matching the trunk diameter at breast height (DBH) with its corresponding base value that is updated annually.
- The Species value of a tree is assessed according to its known natural life span and its rate of growth in a particular environment. For example, a long-lived tree will be scored higher than a short-lived tree.
- The Aesthetics value of a tree is determined by the impact on the landscape if the tree were removed. This category is closely tied to the locality factor (below).
- The Locality factor is determined by the tree's geographical situation. Trees in a major centre, main street or boulevard score highest because of the stressful growing environment in which the tree has to survive. As the location becomes more rural, the significance of the tree diminishes.
- The tree condition value is determined by a qualified arborist considering the condition of the trunk, growth (associated with health), and the structure of the tree and whether or not it is compromised by pests and/or disease.
Significant features to the tree will also modify how the tree is scored. Judgment regarding species factor is required to be made by a qualified Arborist.
In most cases – yes. Under the Policy a Developer or member of the public can apply to have a public tree removed.
In some cases Council will not consider the removal of a public tree. Trees that are exempt are those identified on the Significant Tree Register, are part of a beautification project (eg: Macquarie Street) or on a major arterial road / street (eg: Cobra Street).
Owners can apply to have a public tree removed through Council’s Customer Experience branch (ph: 6801 4000). Council’s Level 5 arborist will then inspect and value the tree/s base on the formula in Question 4.
A letter will then be sent to the property owner identifying the Total Charge, as shown in Question 3.
If the owner would like to proceed with the public tree removal they must confirm their intent in writing to Council. An invoice for the total charge of the tree removal (question 3) will be sent to the owner that must be paid in full prior to the scheduling of the removal of the tree/s.
The Policy would only be applied to Developers where they request to have public trees removed.
In the event that a public tree is required to be removed by Council for the purpose of providing civil infrastructure works that benefits the general community eg: water, sewer, roads and stormwater, the Policy is not applied.
In these circumstances a negotiated outcome will be determined with the goal of planting at least the same of number of trees as being removed.
All funds generated from the implementation of this Policy goes back into tree planting programs in our urban areas. Over time this will assist in increasing the canopy cover of Dubbo, Wellington and the villages.
Submission Process
In accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act 1998, written submissions received by Council containing personal information may be made public when the matter goes before Council for consideration, as it may be included in Council’s Business Papers. Persons have the right to remain anonymous if they so choose by refraining from submitting their personal information, however, the submission may be given less weight in the overall assessment and consideration of the draft Policy.
