With more than half a million trees on public land, they are one of Tauranga's most important assets. Trees play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy environment, reduce pollution and keep our city cool.
Tauranga’s trees are cared for by a team of professional arborists and urban foresters who are qualified to assess and maintain a healthy tree canopy. Our tree management is guided by industry best practice, our tree management contract specifications and our Vegetation and Tree Management Policy.
Vegetation and Tree Management Policy (130kb pdf)
Why we prune trees on public land
Our arborists prune our trees to manage risk to people and property and maintain tree health and longevity.
Our team monitors tree conditions in urban areas and prunes them only when needed. A routine street tree pruning takes place, on average, every five years.
Trees are pruned if they obstruct:
- powerlines
- footpath and roads
- street lighting
- vehicle access to public areas
- traffic signage and road visibility.
Trees are pruned according to industry best practice.
We do not prune public trees:
- to reduce leaf, seed, flower, fruit, or twig debris
- to preserve or create views for properties
- for solar access or to reduce shade cast
- for property development.
We do not practice or condone tree topping, which is the removal of large branches at the top of the tree for height reduction. Topping can result in weak re-growth, decay, safety issues, increased maintenance, and a shortened life span.
Public tree removal
We may remove trees from public land when they are dead, dying or dangerous to people or property.
A tree may be removed if:
- it is dead, or incurably declining to a point of removal
- it is causing a traffic issue or reducing visibility of a road or footpath that pruning cannot resolve
- it is needed to preserve other trees
- it is assessed by a qualified arborist as needing to be removed
- Causing infrastructure damage.
A public tree will not be removed:
- to preserve or create views for properties
- for solar access or to reduce shade
- to reduce leaf litter or tree debris fall
- because of roosting birds
- for seasonal or minor allergenic or irritant response
- for unfounded property damage claims.