Draft Tree Policy 2023

Share Draft Tree Policy 2023 on Facebook Share Draft Tree Policy 2023 on Twitter Share Draft Tree Policy 2023 on Linkedin Email Draft Tree Policy 2023 link

Feedback on the draft Tree Policy 2023 has now closed. Please see the document library to read the public feedback submitted during the engagement.


Next steps

Community feedback was collated in November which helped to shape updates to the final Tree Policy. This feedback has now been considered by the Community & Services Committee and the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board during their February meetings. The Community and Services Committee have now reviewed and recommended to Council that the Tree Policy 2023 is adopted. The revised draft will be presented to Full Council for adoption in early April 2024.



Can you see the forest for the trees?

Trees are a vital part of our sustainable health and wellbeing. They provide wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, shade, and are part of our identity as an active outdoor adventure district. And, a considerable number of trees provide important amenity and ecological value for residents and visitors alike.

In August 2022 Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) created a Tree Policy to ensure existing public trees, tree spaces, canopy cover and succession planting meet the needs of the community and continue to be protected and enhanced. Our Parks and Reserves team is now reviewing how successfully the Tree Policy 2022 has been working since it was implemented 12 months ago.

We want to know if the policy has been achieving its aims, including how it manages trees to meet community aspirations, service requests, and how well it provides clarity and consistency for any decisions regarding trees.


Why is it being reviewed?

When the Tree Policy 2022 was adopted in August, Council included a resolution to undertake a review of the policy in 12 months’ time due to the high level of public interest around how the policy would be implemented.


Get informed

This is a chance to help shape how public trees will be managed in our community. Take a look at the suggested changes made to the draft Tree Policy 2023 and share your feedback below.

>> Read the draft QLDC Tree Policy 2023

>> Read the QLDC Tree Policy 2022



What's changed from the Tree Policy 2022?

We’ve proposed some minor changes in the draft Tree Policy 2023, these include:

  • A more logical layout, making it clearer and more user-friendly
  • Further detail on activities around trees and better policies for directing when a Tree Protection Management Plan (TPMP) is required (Section 3.0).
  • Better direction on where and when mitigation planting is required (Section 5.0).
  • Clearer wording around who is responsible for paying for tree removal or alteration works (Section 6.0).

>> Read the Table of proposed changes in the draft Tree Policy 2023

The first two columns of the table (labelled Policy and Tree Policy 2022) show the Tree Policy 2022’s policies in the order they appeared in the document. The next column (labelled Draft Tree Policy 2023) shows the new policies, followed by a brief comment to describe whether that policy has been kept and simplified, moved from another section, removed completely, or is a newly created policy.

Note: To refect the recent regulations update to the National Environmental Standards for Commerical Forestry (previously the National Environmental Standards for Planatation Forestry), commercial forestry has been added as an area that does not apply to the QLDC Tree Policy.


How to have your say

Share your feedback on the form below or by clicking the "have your say" button at the top of the page.

Feedback on the draft Tree Policy 2023 will close at 5.00pm on Sunday 29 October.


Got a question?

If you have a question, please submit it on the tool below and we'll get it answered as soon as possible. All questions and answers will be published for everyone to see.

Feedback on the draft Tree Policy 2023 has now closed. Please see the document library to read the public feedback submitted during the engagement.


Next steps

Community feedback was collated in November which helped to shape updates to the final Tree Policy. This feedback has now been considered by the Community & Services Committee and the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board during their February meetings. The Community and Services Committee have now reviewed and recommended to Council that the Tree Policy 2023 is adopted. The revised draft will be presented to Full Council for adoption in early April 2024.



Can you see the forest for the trees?

Trees are a vital part of our sustainable health and wellbeing. They provide wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, shade, and are part of our identity as an active outdoor adventure district. And, a considerable number of trees provide important amenity and ecological value for residents and visitors alike.

In August 2022 Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) created a Tree Policy to ensure existing public trees, tree spaces, canopy cover and succession planting meet the needs of the community and continue to be protected and enhanced. Our Parks and Reserves team is now reviewing how successfully the Tree Policy 2022 has been working since it was implemented 12 months ago.

We want to know if the policy has been achieving its aims, including how it manages trees to meet community aspirations, service requests, and how well it provides clarity and consistency for any decisions regarding trees.


Why is it being reviewed?

When the Tree Policy 2022 was adopted in August, Council included a resolution to undertake a review of the policy in 12 months’ time due to the high level of public interest around how the policy would be implemented.


Get informed

This is a chance to help shape how public trees will be managed in our community. Take a look at the suggested changes made to the draft Tree Policy 2023 and share your feedback below.

>> Read the draft QLDC Tree Policy 2023

>> Read the QLDC Tree Policy 2022



What's changed from the Tree Policy 2022?

We’ve proposed some minor changes in the draft Tree Policy 2023, these include:

  • A more logical layout, making it clearer and more user-friendly
  • Further detail on activities around trees and better policies for directing when a Tree Protection Management Plan (TPMP) is required (Section 3.0).
  • Better direction on where and when mitigation planting is required (Section 5.0).
  • Clearer wording around who is responsible for paying for tree removal or alteration works (Section 6.0).

>> Read the Table of proposed changes in the draft Tree Policy 2023

The first two columns of the table (labelled Policy and Tree Policy 2022) show the Tree Policy 2022’s policies in the order they appeared in the document. The next column (labelled Draft Tree Policy 2023) shows the new policies, followed by a brief comment to describe whether that policy has been kept and simplified, moved from another section, removed completely, or is a newly created policy.

Note: To refect the recent regulations update to the National Environmental Standards for Commerical Forestry (previously the National Environmental Standards for Planatation Forestry), commercial forestry has been added as an area that does not apply to the QLDC Tree Policy.


How to have your say

Share your feedback on the form below or by clicking the "have your say" button at the top of the page.

Feedback on the draft Tree Policy 2023 will close at 5.00pm on Sunday 29 October.


Got a question?

If you have a question, please submit it on the tool below and we'll get it answered as soon as possible. All questions and answers will be published for everyone to see.

Page last updated: 22 Jul 2024, 01:36 PM