Page 2243 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 August 2022
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approval before removal or any other tree-damaging activity takes place. Applications will be assessed based on criteria established under a disallowable instrument under the legislation.
Let me be clear that if trees do not meet the approval criteria then they cannot be removed. However, when trees meet the criteria and have to be removed, this has the potential to reduce our canopy cover as the city develops. That is why the Urban Forest Bill will establish a canopy contribution framework.
The canopy contribution framework will ensure that when regulated trees are removed, they are replaced. This will ensure that the benefits lost through the removal of the tree are reclaimed through renewal and enhancement of the urban forest. If a developer designs a building and gets approval for the removal of trees, they will need to plant more trees on the block to make up for lost canopy cover. Where replanting is not possible or only partially possible on site, they will have to pay a financial contribution under a canopy contribution agreement.
The replanting requirement or financial contribution for developers will vary, depending on the size and location of the tree that they are seeking to remove. It will be calculated based on a tree valuation formula, which takes into account the cost of replanting new trees, as well as the number of trees required to restore the tree canopy over a period of 20 years.
As the canopy contribution framework places a value on trees, this will disincentivise property owners and property developers from removing or damaging trees in the first place, encouraging more sustainable building design practices. The financial contribution will also vary, based on the zoning of the block under the Territory Plan from which the tree is being removed. This will recognise the potential commercial gain from tree removal on high value blocks. Higher financial contributions in such areas will encourage tree retention and replanting, reducing the creation of urban heat islands.
It is important to reiterate that the hierarchy established under the framework prioritises the retention of trees, followed by the replacement of trees planted on the site and, finally, a financial contribution when that is not possible.
The canopy contribution framework also applies to home owners, but different replanting requirements or financial contributions apply. For home owners seeking to remove a tree from their primary residence, a fixed replanting requirement will mean two new trees must be planted for every one tree removed. Where there is no suitable space, the applicant will need to make a contribution for the trees that they cannot replant. The bill provides concessions for those that need them.
There will be some exemptions from the requirement to enter a canopy contribution agreement, including for removals approved under urgent circumstances such as dangerous trees, removals approved for group plantings, removals of dead trees and removals approved where replanting requirements exist under the Heritage Act 2004. Trees planted under the canopy contribution framework will be protected for five years to ensure that they have the best chance to grow into mature trees that will contribute to our city’s canopy cover.
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