Trees
Rākau
Trees are a vital part of our district’s long-term health and wellbeing. They provide wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, shade, and reduce storm water flows. We aim to maximise the health of our urban trees and forests and the benefits we receive from them
Quick links
Request to remove, renew or plant a Council tree
The QLDC Tree Policy covers how trees are managed on council land and the decision making process for removal. Please use the Application for Tree Works form to supply the information required to inform decisions. Note that there are limited reasons for allowing the removal of trees and the Tree Policy requires replacement planting.
Planting guides
Spotted a Council tree requiring work?
If you have spotted a council tree requiring work, please reach out to us via 03 441 0499 or email:
services@qldc.govt.nz
Alternatively you can use the Snap, Send and Solve App.
Tree Policy
QLDC’s Tree Policy provides guidance on planting, maintenance, working around, and removal of trees on Council land. It aims to manage trees to meet community aspirations, manage service requests, and provide clear direction for decision making while maintaining consistency in the approaches taken by QLDC and our consultants and contractors.
Overhanging vegetation
Overhanging trees and bushes can be a real nuisance. The content below explains the rules and how to go about having overhanging vegetation removed.
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This is an enforcement issue. The Council can require the property owner to trim or remove the tree to minimise any obstruction to pedestrians or traffic.
How to make an enquiry: Contact the Council or make a Service Request
What will the Council do? The Council will serve a notice to the property owner and this will give them a limited amount of time to have the tree trimmed before the Council carries out the work at the owners cost.
Property owners do have the right to apply to the Court to have the notice set aside, but must do so within ten days of receiving it.
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This is the Council’s responsibility. All maintenance work is to be carried out by QLDC contractors and any work will be in line with the Council’s tree policy and District Plan requirements.
How to make an enquiry: Contact the Council or make a Service Request
What will the Council do? The Council will put in a request for service to have the complaint assessed. If required, the council contractor will trim or remove the overhanging vegetation.
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A dispute between residents over trees on private property is a civil matter and needs to be resolved between the parties concerned. The Council will not get involved in this type of matter.
How to make an enquiry: Contact Queenstown Citizens Advice on 03 442 6799 or Wānaka Community Networks 03 443 7799, or your lawyer.
Some tree removal on private property does require resource consent.
Consent is required for any tree removal or maintenance in the Arrowtown Historic Zone which is protected under the District Plan. Protected heritage trees also require a resource consent before any removal or maintenance is carried out, to see if a tree is protected please check our mapping system or contract our Parks Team.
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Working around Council trees
When it comes to trees, what’s below ground is as important as what is above ground. Our procedure for working around trees offers guidance to protect the health and stability of council trees.
Safety
QLDC takes public safety seriously. Trees are managed to prioritise unacceptable public risk. Trees are a living infrastructure that progress through a natural lifecycle from saplings to decline and death. Always be vigilant around all trees in high winds.
Potentially dangerous tree removals
When a tree is identified as potentially dangerous and sits within the road reserve, our contractors work to remove that tree. We also work with private land owners to have potentially dangerous trees on their property removed at the same time.
Trees in the District Plan
Arrowtown Historic Zone Tree Maintenance
If you want to remove or prune a tree in the Residential Arrowtown Historic Management Zone, there are a few steps you'll need to take first.
What is the Residential Arrowtown Historic Management Zone?
Historic Arrowtown has a truly unique character. We want to make sure this character is protected and have introduced a special zone called the Residential Arrowtown Historic Management Zone which restricts any maintenance or removal of trees in this area. There are steps you can take if you have legitimate reason to either have a tree removed or pruned in this zone – but you might need a resource consent first.
The Residential Arrowtown Historic Management Zone
The pink area below indicates the historic zone.
Protected Trees
There are many Protected Trees around in our district. Protected Trees have been assessed to have very high value, based on variables such as species and heritage. If you want to find out more about our Protected Trees or are unsure if you will be building or working near a Protected Tree, please check the Proposed District Plan Protected Trees Chapter 32, or call the QLDC Duty Planner on (03) 441 0499. The Chapter includes Arrowtown Character Trees, in addition to trees which are in streets and public spaces within the Arrowtown Residential Historic Management Zone not scheduled as a Protected Tree.
*’Protected’ or ‘Heritage Trees’ used to be located within the Inventory of Protected Features in the Operative District Plan (ODP).
‘Notable’ and ‘scheduled’ trees are sometimes referred to when meaning Protected Trees.
To identify the location of Protected Trees, you can use the District Plan layer on the Council GIS system, Spatial Data Hub.
Wilding Trees
There are trees that are prohibited to plant in our district, as outlined in the Proposed District Plan Wilding Exotic Trees Chapter 34. They have been identified as having a detrimental effect on the environment. There are local groups that work towards their removal on a location priority basis.
* Except for Plantation Forestry where the Resource Management (Resource Management (National Environmental Standard for Plantation Forestry) Regulation 2017 prevails.
More information about Council trees
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Check out the QLDC tree maps if you'd like to learn more about the species and age of a tree on your street.
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Maintenance for Council trees - a visual tree assessment (VTA) is undertaken on park and street trees on a minimum 3-year cycle by arboricultural contractors. Trees that are deemed high-risk are inspected on an annual basis.
How can I get involved or find out more about our trees?
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You can find volunteering groups via Community Connect (i.e - Wilding Control Conifer Group, Whakatipu Reforestation Trust, Te Kakano and more.)
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Have your say on trees in our district by visiting our Let's Talk page.