2022-08-09 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   9 AUGUST 2022




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SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                             9 AUGUST 2022

                                                                                                    Noosa Shire Council
                                                                                  Guiding Principles for Tree Management
                 5.3.    Management Outcome Decision Making and Prioritisation

                 An ultimate decision on remedial works required for a tree request is made by Council’s Arborist or Tree
                 Supervisor based on the recommendation of the consultant arborist and the determined priority. The
                 priority will be based on the table below:

                                           Immediate threat to public safety. Urgent and hazardous or severe and will
                                           require immediate action or works to be completed as soon as possible, either
                                          the same day or at the latest within three days.
                                          e.g. Dead trees or severely structurally damaged

                                           Likely threat to public safety. Requires works within two weeks.
                                          e.g. Dying trees or moderate structural damage evident
                                           Requiring proactive action within 3 to 12 months — assign to proactive works
                                           program and monitor tree in the interim.
                       MODERATE
                                          e.g. Trees causing damage to infrastructure
                                           Either being no works required, at Council’s discretion, programmed
                                           maintenance or within 12 to 24 months.

                                          e.g. Trees with a short Useful Life Expectancy (ULE) or invasive
                                           plant species

                 Tree Removal:
                 A decision is made to remove a tree when one of the following has been determined via the tree assessment
                 and arborist report recommendation:
                     e   The subject tree is dead;
                     e   The subject tree is dying (i.e. displaying evidence of rapid or severe decline);
                     e   The subject tree is dangerous (i.e. displaying structural damage, presence of bracket fungal fruiting
                         bodies or movement at the base of the trunk);
                     e   The subject tree has evidence of causing damage to infrastructure, and the infrastructure cannot
                         be repaired without the tree being removed from the location;
                     e   The subject tree has a short Useful Life Expectancy;
                     e   The subject tree is an invasive plant species.
                 When assessing root intrusion and damage, the priority risk assessed would be deemed as ‘Low’ toa
                 person, and this risk score of ‘Low’ usually prescribes either no works required, further investigation or
                 works at Council’s discretion e.g. programmed maintenance. Root intrusion or damage caused by roots
                 does not usually require urgent attention and works can be scheduled according to an annual program.
                 Regarding trees that have been determined to have a short Useful Life Expectancy (ULE), these could be
                 retained for the remainder of their lifespan, however often this requires additional, increased and ongoing
                 maintenance activities and costs which are not reasonable or a sustainable use of Council resources. In
                 addition, often the tree will continue to decline regardless, which presents increased risk of failure. Subject
                 to budget, trees in this situation should be removed and replaced with a tree of a more suitable species or
                 in a more suitable location.

                 For trees not determined to have a risk rating of High or Extreme, other management options exist and are
                 outlined in Appendix B. Most of these options involve some form of re-engineering the surrounding
                 infrastructure and therefore can be cost-prohibitive.

                 Noosa Shire Council                                                                      6

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