Removing sick or damaged trees, extracting invasive root systems and trimming overweight branches are all essential parts of maintaining a healthy tree population. But because canopy cover across Merri-bek is relatively low, getting approval for tree works here isn’t straightforward.
Merri-bek City Council, known as Moreland until 2022, covers much of Melbourne’s inner north. Clearing or pruning a tree anywhere in the municipality means knowing the rules and having the right permits in hand before any work starts. Our crews work right across the council area, from Brunswick and Coburg through to Glenroy and Fawkner in the north.
If you’re unsure whether your property falls inside Merri-bek, particularly along the Fitzroy North and Tullamarine boundaries where the municipality is shared with neighbouring councils, it is worth checking with Council before you plan any works.
Why It’s Important To Care For Your Trees in Merri-Bek
The urban forest across Merri-bek is highly susceptible to pests, disease and the effects of climate change because of a lack of species diversity in the tree population. That makes it all the more important for residents and homeowners here to regularly assess and maintain the health of the trees around them.
The scarcity of canopy trees in the area is not for want of community engagement. More than a dozen community groups invest time and resources in planting and maintaining public trees, and Council and local groups have successfully revegetated large stretches of public waterway such as Merri Creek.
Our local arborists are happy to assist with any tree cutting, stump grinding, pruning or woodchipping needs you may have, whether that’s emergency assistance or planned tree works. Our tree surgeons always make sure the correct permits are in place before carrying out works, so that what we do stays in line with the values of the council and the community.
Local Laws
Removing and pruning trees on private property in Merri-bek is permitted, but a Tree Works Permit is required for any tree considered mature or significant, and for trees protected by a planning permit or an overlay.
These protections sit under the Moreland General Local Law, which kept its original name.
Mature & Significant Trees
Any tree classified as mature or significant needs a Tree Works Permit before it can be pruned or removed.
Mature trees
A tree on private property with a single trunk diameter greater than 40cm, or multiple trunks with a combined diameter greater than 40cm, measured 1.2 metres above ground level. There is no minimum height.
Significant trees
Any tree listed on Council’s Significant Tree Register. Merri-bek accepts public nominations for trees on private land, and each nomination is assessed by an independent arboricultural consultant, which can take up to 12 months.
Pruning
A permit is also needed to prune more than 15 per cent of a mature tree’s canopy. If you’re taking off less than 15 per cent, no permit is required, though Council recommends using an arborist with a minimum AQF Level 3 qualification and keeping before and after photos as a record of the work.
If you’re not sure whether your tree meets any of these definitions, your local Jim’s Trees can help you work it out and can advise on getting a permit if one is needed.
Planning Permits & Overlays
Trees protected by planning permits or overlays need approval before you carry out any works. The overlays that can apply include:
- Heritage Overlays
- Significant Landscape Overlays
- Environmental Significance Overlays
- Erosion Management Overlays
- Native vegetation controls
You don’t need permits under both the Planning Scheme and the Local Law. The Planning Scheme takes precedence. If a tree has already been approved for removal under an issued planning permit, or is shown on an endorsed plan, you can remove it without a separate Tree Works Permit.
The reverse also applies. If your property is subject to a recent planning permit with conditions relating to trees, you may need to apply to amend that permit rather than lodge a Tree Works Permit.
With so many different controls in play, working out whether you need a permit at all can be the hardest part. Some tree services are willing to carry out works without one, and that goes badly for everyone involved: both the property owner and the person removing the tree can be held liable.
You can apply for a Tree Works Permit through Merri-bek’s eServices portal, and current fees and requirements are listed on Council’s trees on private property page.
For questions about the process, Council directs enquiries to its Planning Arborist in the Urban Forest Team on (03) 9240 1111, or by email with “Attention Planning Arborist” in the subject line.
If you’re unsure about any part of this process, contact your closest Jim’s Trees for local advice.
Common Trees
Merri-bek is home to close to 400 different species of street tree. Only a small share of public trees reach more than 10 metres in height, which is the main reason canopy cover across the municipality sits lower than in neighbouring areas.
Some of the trees commonly found across the Merri-bek council area:
- Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla)
- Hoop Pine (Araucaria cunninghamii)
- Prickly Paperbark (Melaleuca styphelioides)
- Broad Leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia)
- Snow in Summer (Melaleuca linariifolia)
- Red Box (Eucalyptus polyanthemos subsp. vestita)
- Brittle Gum (Eucalyptus mannifera)
- River Sheoak (Casuarina cunninghamiana)
- Willow Myrtle (Agonis flexuosa)
- Weeping Lilly Pilly (Waterhousea floribunda)
Planning Permits & Overlays
Our franchisee in the area, Jayden has run a Jim’s Tree franchise in the Merri-bek area for over a decade.
Merri-bek’s tree population is smaller than in many surrounding areas, and the trees that remain tend to be valued accordingly. That shapes how our crew work here. Removals account for roughly 40 per cent of their time, with the remaining 60 per cent going to maintenance and pruning: bringing back branches over houses, clearing leaves off roofs and cutting large hedges back to a safe size.
Our aim is to keep healthy trees standing and remove only the ones that have become dangerous.
Expert Eye: What to Look For
Assessing a tree’s health and potential danger takes a lot of expertise. Our arborists start with the root structure, checking for exposed roots and for damage caused by nearby earthworks.
From there, they look at the foliage, the crutches where branches join the main trunk, and whether debris has built up in them. Bark peeling at the wrong time of year is another signal, as is excess weight on limbs, which can almost double during the flowering period.
Some arborists prefer to assess a tree by climbing it, or by cutting a cross section to examine the inner rings. Both carry risk for the climber and the tree.
Most of what matters can be read from the ground, and our crew only climb when something specific warrants a closer look, such as a fork that may be splitting or parrot holes in the trunk. Parrot holes are also worth checking because they trap water against the hardwood and start to rot it.
Trouble Trees
Across the Merri-bek council area, the species our crew most often need to remove is the Cypress.
Normally a robust and resilient tree, it is highly susceptible to cypress canker, a fungal disease that attacks the tree’s vascular system and will eventually kill it. Dieback on the outer branches is the usual sign, though the same symptom can point to nothing more than a lack of water, which is why it is worth having someone look before assuming the worst.
Cutting to the Chase
Preserving and expanding the urban forest matters across Merri-bek, and pruning and removing dangerous trees is a central part of keeping that population healthy and safe. Because canopy coverage in the area has fallen over the past decade, removing a mature tree or pruning more than 15 per cent of its canopy generally requires a Tree Works Permit.
The various planning controls and overlays make working out what applies to your property genuinely complicated, so before your next tree works, call your local Jim’s Trees on 131 546 or request a free quote online.