Trees and Vegetation

Trees            

Trees are the most significant form of vegetation used in the urban and rural landscape. They benefit the community and visitors, visually, emotionally and physically, by enhancing and protecting the environment we live in.

• Are a council asset, in real and tangible terms
• Are important for their heritage, habitat and aesthetic values
• Provide of shade and windbreaks
• Reduce stormwater runoff
• Enhance air quality, assist soil stabilisation and control ground salinity
• Contribute to the environment by filtering dust, absorbing pollution, alleviating visual and noise problems and influencing microclimates
• Enhance biodiversity and provide fauna habitat
• Shade houses and cars, therefore reducing energy consumption
• Produces oxygen
• Reduces carbon dioxide gas levels by direct absorption
• Improve property values

Planting Guidelines for Nature Strips & Roadsides      

Where possible, indigenous species will be planted on nature strips, otherwise appropriate non evasive exotic species will be used.

Roadsides outside the urban areas will only be planted with indigenous native species that will provide habitat and wildlife corridors for native fauna.

Tree Planting by Residents

Buloke Shire Council - Community Local Law No.10

27. Locating trees and plants and other obstructions

(1) An owner or occupier of land must not plant a tree or plant, allow a tree or locate a tree or plant, fencing, a sign or anything on their property so that it could be an obstruction or so that it obstructs or interferes with pedestrian or vehicular traffic because it:

(a) overhangs a property boundary onto a footpath or other part of the road used by pedestrians limiting safe access or likely to cause injury or damage;

(b) or extends over any part of the road so that it:

(i) obstructs the view between vehicles at an intersection; or

(ii) obstructs the view between vehicles and pedestrians; or

(iii) obscures a traffic control item from an approaching vehicle or pedestrian; or

(iv) obscures street lighting; or

(2) A tree or plant overhanging a property boundary onto a footpath will be considered to limit safe access for pedestrians or likely to cause injury or damage if it encroaches on

a road because it is less than 3 metres high or a pedestrian cannot continue on a footpath and needs to step off the footpath to avoid trees or plants from an abutting property.

¹ Section 225 of the Local Government Act 1989 provides a power to the council to carry out work if a person fails to carry out work required under a local law and to recover the costs of carrying out the work.

Requests for Tree Removal

All requests for the removal of street trees by residents will be assessed in an objective and professional manner. If a resident has a concern about a tree, they should contact Council’s Customer Service and advice them of their concerns and reasons for requesting a tree to be trimmed or removed. Council will explore all feasible options for resolving problems associated with trees in order to maximise the possibility of their retention.  

The following are not considered valid reasons to remove a tree:  

• Trees are blocking someone’s view
• The tree is ugly.
• Branches grow into adjacent properties
  • Council will prune back to boundary of property.
  • If neighbours tree is overhanging private property, this is a civil matter to be taken up with your neighbours.
• Trees are dropping leaves and fruit
  • Trees are known to drop leaves and other debris due to seasonal change. Residents can request pruning to reduce the problem, but we recommend the installation of quality gutter guards.
• Grass will not grow under trees
• Other plants will not grow under or near trees
• Trees are causing minor damage to roads and footpaths
• Tree is dying (if the tree is dead and has environmental value providing it is not a safety hazard, the tree may be retained as a habitat tree).

Tree Removal Criteria 

• The tree is identified as dead, dying, or diseased and represents a risk to public safety.
• Urgent action is required for public safety reasons such as resulting from storm damage.
• The tree poses public nuisance because of its species, size, location, attributes, or condition.
• The tree interferes with the growth and development of a more desirable species.
• Council approved works around the tree will kill or render the tree a hazard.
• Unacceptable risk to property.
• Or any other reasons identified by Council.

Street Tree Restrictions

• Plant at least 2.5m from driveways.
• Plant at least 2m from drainage pits, service pits and fire hydrants
• Plant at least 3m from power poles, street lights and service wires
• Plant at least 8m from corners of property boundaries at intersections of minor roads
• Plant at least 15m from corners of property boundaries at intersections of main roads
• Plant at least 10.0m from a Stop or Give Way signs.
• Ensure plants will not obscure or prevent access to signage, mailboxes, gates, lighting and footpaths
• Don't plant over underground connections
• Ensure plants will not impede pedestrian access along the roadside.
• Consider sight lines, speed zones, topography, road layout and space required for rubbish bins.
• Species of trees planted in streets should be able to be pruned to a single trunk or have a clear trunk of at least 1.5m high for visibility. 

Species not suitable for planting due to toxicity spread of seeds and safety.

Shrubs and Trees

Sets seed & spreads through native vegetation

Common Invasive Garden Escapees of the Buloke Shire

These plants should not be planted anywhere within the Shire as they very invasive and spread easily within the environment.

Legislative Status: Plants in the column marked as Declared, are species that have been declared as noxious weeds under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 or Fisheries Act 1995. It is illegal to buy, sell, possess for sale, display, plant or propagate, bring into or transport around Victoria any of these species without a permit. For a list of all Victorian declared weeds visit the Department of Primary Industries website.