Tree management plans set
Two documents to guide management of trees in Baw Baw Shire have been endorsed.
Councillors unanimously adopted the tree management policy and noted the tree management plan.
These documents supersede four policies, including the trees on rural roads policy.
The tree management plan includes: service levels in urban and rural areas; risk, damage and insurance procedures; tree amenity values; tree protection zones; private roadside planting; management of tree pests and diseases; overhanging trees and interference with TV reception, solar panels, fences lines and leaf litter; tree maintenance techniques for removal, pruning, habitat trees and replacement of inappropriate tree species under powerlines; heritage and memorial trees; trees overhanging gravel walking tracks and trails; and, trees within unused road reserves.
The tree management policy is the overarching document for how council manages urban and rural trees, outlining council’s position and legal requirements.
An officer report stated that 19 people provided feedback during community consultation.
A majority - eight - were from Drouin, with the remaining 11 from 10 districts across the shire including Crossover, Drouin West, Neerim East, Shady Creek and Trafalgar East.
The report said feedback was generally supportive, with need to increase funding to plant and protect trees, proactive and more frequent inspection of rural trees, and lack of surveillance for tree protection during developments as common themes.
Many urged council to have a stronger commitment to protect the environment, calling for tree removal to be the last option. They also noted the documents didn’t address significant tree protection.
The officer report noted calls to move powerlines underground would be costly and “not under council’s direct control” as they are not council’s assets.
Cr Peter Kostos said there was a lot of detail in this report, highlighting two policies had been incorporating into one.
“It does include assessing trees that potentially are a hazard, it does include the tree planting policy for the shire and then also maintenance of trees in the urban area and also in the rural area,” Cr Kostos said.
Cr Keith Cook said it’s “quite a good policy” and noted the 19 submissions.
“People are concerned about the trees in the Baw Baw Shire,” he said. “Not only significant trees but also general public’s safety and wellbeing.”
Cr Cook said this policy detailed how hazardous trees were identified and removed, guidelines on distances from roads or houses, and what should happen if trees fall over fences.
He added that council had identified different species - some indigenous and some not - but all suitable for planting in the area.
“It’s comprehensive,” Cr Cook concluded. “I don’t think we can apply it to the whole of the shire, and say every road and everything can be done straight away. But it’s certainly good guidelines and a good starting point.”