Cyclic Tree Maintenance
Up until 2007, Council based a significant proportion of its street tree maintenance works such as crown lifting, and the removal of wayward growth fouling properties and blocking safe pedestrian access along footpaths on a mostly reactive service basis.
Residents and home owners would call Council when a tree was causing a nuisance to them and a Council officer would meet with the resident and discuss options for works that could be carried out on the tree. The majority of these works were for trees overhanging properties and rooflines and fouling service wires to the dwelling. Requests were also made to clear roadways and footpaths from low hanging branches.
In June 2007 Council adopted the Leichhardt Urban Forest Policy and continued with the electronic collection of the street tree inventory. This GPS based inventory maps the location, condition and suitability of all Council’s street trees and allows Council to use asset management principles to identify species and streets where trees are causing problems both now and where potential problems may exist in the future.
In 2007 Council adopted the Cyclic Maintenance Street Tree Programme and a tender was let to carry out the following works on all Council's 15,700 street trees on a two year cycle:
- The pruning of trees to raise crown.
- Removal of deadwood.
- The pruning of trees to allow for 2 metre property clearance.
- The pruning of trees to allow for 2 metre clearance of service wires (connections to houses not overhead high voltage cables).
- Pruning of branches which do not allow for 2.5 metre footpath clearance.
- Report on works carried out to all trees.
- Report to Council on any dead / dangerous / diseased trees that would require possible removal of major pruning works to be carried out.
Supply of all mulch from these works to Council – mulch to be delivered to Council’s nominated park or depot.
This programme has proved successful with the number of street tree complaints received being reduced and the appearance and amenity of the street being improved.
One of the other benefits of this cyclic tree maintenance system has over the reactive tree works is in the risk management area. The programme has revealed a number of structural faults in street trees which were dealt with prior to these branches and limbs failing and exposing the public and their property to potential injury and damage.
To date Council has logged all 15,700 street trees into Council’s GIS system and it will be this inventory that will be used to map and track the proposed works to be undertaken in this cyclic street tree maintenance tender.
By adopting this cyclic programme of works, branches identified when trees are younger, will be removed therefore reducing the impact that these woks will have on the tree as it matures.