As a Tree City of the World for four consecutive years, the City manages more than 190,000 urban trees and continues to grow its urban forest by planting thousands of new trees each year.

The Public Tree Management Policy plays a key role in guiding how these trees are planned, planted, maintained, protected and removed on Council-owned and managed land. It aims to increase canopy cover, enhance biodiversity and improve climate resilience to deliver long-term community benefits.

The policy, which was last updated in 2022, has been reviewed to deliver a more balanced and practical framework with clearer decision-making processes, improved risk management and better biodiversity and community outcomes.

In response to community concerns, the draft policy prohibits permanent lighting, signage, or infrastructure being attached or installed within trees to protect tree health and minimise public safety risks.

The updated policy also provides a pathway for tree removal where there is documented evidence from a qualified medical specialist of a severe health impact on a resident, or where a tree species is causing ongoing infrastructure damage or substantial impacts on a resident’s quality of life.

Additional changes introduce a formal process for investigating tree root impacts on private infrastructure and outline when the City may intervene if tree roots are confirmed to be contributing to a problem.

The draft policy supports better outcomes for the community by enabling City officers to consider site-specific circumstances, safety requirements and specialist advice when making decisions about trees. This allows for more balanced, practical and evidence-based decisions that protect community safety, enhance amenity and support the long-term health of the urban forest.

Together, these draft changes provide a more balanced approach to tree management by preserving the environmental and community benefits of trees while addressing concerns related to safety, infrastructure and impacts on residents.

The draft policy is now open for community engagement, which will close at 11.59pm on Monday 2 November.

Following the consideration of public feedback, the policy is expected to return to Council in late 2026 for adoption.

Councillor Elise Wilkinson, Chair of the Environment & Circular Economy portfolio 

Our trees deliver significant environmental, social and wellbeing benefits to the community and preserving a healthy tree population remains a priority.

At the same time, we want a Public Tree Management Policy that acknowledges community concerns and provides clear, practical pathways to address them. These proposed changes are about finding that balance.

Councillor Emma Sinclair, Deputy Chair of the Environment & Circular Economy portfolio 

Our trees are one of our greatest community assets, and this draft policy seeks to protect those benefits while responding to the feedback we've received from residents about safety, infrastructure impacts and quality of life.

These draft changes have been shaped by feedback we've already received, but we want to hear from the community again before the policy is finalised. 

I encourage residents to have their say on the draft policy and help ensure the final outcome reflects the expectations of our community.

To view the draft policy, or to submit feedback, visit: https://geelong.link/PTMP