Following community engagement earlier this year, Council has endorsed amendments to the Canopy Tree Protection Local Law (Local Law) to protect one of the most vulnerable parts of the urban forest — trees on private property. The decision was made at the 13 August Council meeting.

Under the amended Local Law, a free permit from Council is required to remove or significantly prune a tree over a certain size on private property, or for works within a tree protection zone.

This amendment helps protect and promote the important tree canopy across Glen Eira because once trees are removed, they are very difficult to replace. As our population increases, it leaves even less room for large canopy trees to grow.

The Local Law is also consistent with other Laws across Victoria. Local governments across Melbourne, including several that border Glen Eira, maintain and protect canopy tree cover successfully with their own similar local laws.

Community feedback from more than 300 residents throughout the six-week engagement process helped shaped Council’s decision to endorse the amendment.

You told us that trees and canopy cover are an important part of life in Glen Eira and contribute to overall community health and wellbeing, including mental and respiratory health. They also deliver environmental benefits such as removing air pollution and creating important shade, and contribute to local biodiversity and support animals, birds and insects.

To reduce the possible safety concerns, you are still able to undertake minor pruning of a tree protected under the Local Law once a year, without a permit, providing that no more than 10 per cent of the canopy is removed. A permit is also not required to remove or prune these protected trees to make an immediate hazard safe, such as a large branch that has broken after storm.

The Canopy Tree Protection Local Law Engagement Summary Report below, details the engagement data and findings in full.

For more information, including frequently asked questions, visit our website.

Public exhibition of the Canopy Tree Protection Local Law has now closed.

We are looking for ways to expand and protect tree-canopy coverage throughout Glen Eira — because we know it’s important to our community and because we have some of the lowest levels of tree-canopy coverage of any Melbourne council.

A new Canopy Tree Protection Local Law is proposed to protect our urban forest canopy - the fragile, essential network of trees that shade and cool our streets and footpaths throughout Glen Eira.

The local law would support our Urban Forest Strategy and Council's aim to grow Glen Eira's tree canopy from 12.5 per cent to 22 per cent by 2040.

Measures to protect our tree canopy

The proposed local law would amend the current Classified Tree Local Law and would extend protection to one of the most vulnerable parts of the urban forest — trees on private property.

Our municipality has relatively low levels of tree canopy cover compared to other councils. Our tree canopy coverage has reduced by an alarming 50 per cent between 2000 and 2021.

The Urban Forest Strategy estimates about 3,000 trees are cut down on private land each year. Private land accounts for about 66 per cent of Glen Eira.

Once mature trees are removed, they are very difficult to replace. As our population increases, it leaves even less room for large canopy trees to grow.

How the proposed law would work

If adopted, the new local law would require a permit from Council to prune or remove a tree over a certain size on private property.

A tree will qualify for protection if it:

• is taller than five metres with a trunk circumference of 140cm and a height of 1.4 metres from the ground; and
• is a palm tree taller than eight metres from the ground.

Local governments across Melbourne, including several that border Glen Eira, maintain and protect canopy tree cover successfully with their own local laws.

View important documents

We encourage you to read and familiarise yourself with the following documents in the Document Library on this page before making a submission:

• Classified Tree Amendment Local Law — this document is the proposed Local Law.
• Community Impact Statement — Canopy Tree Protection Local Law — this document provides information about the proposed Local Law.
• Classified Tree Local Law — tracked changes — this document identifies where changes have been proposed as part of the Local Law amendment process.