Trees on your land

An urban forest includes all the trees and other vegetation within the city, as well as the soil and water that supports it. It can be separated into:

1. Understorey, such as shrubs and hedges up to 3 metres, and
2. Tree canopy, which is any vegetation above 3 metres.

The recent tree canopy survey indicates that of the whole of Melville, tree canopy covers 12.5% of the total City area, a reduction from 13.9% in 2016. Mapping analysis indicates that the key contributors to this loss are trees being removed during construction (e.g. subdivision and development), and trees being removed from the road reserve to facilitate development.

The canopy mapping undertaken in 2022 indicates a total tree canopy of 12.5%. Of this, 54% is on public land and 45% is on private land.

It has not yet been decided whether the City will develop a Local Planning Policy for tree retention. The initial phase of the project involves assessing support for strategies related to tree retention.

A report item is being presented to Council for their consideration. 

The City encourages retention of trees on private land as part of the development assessment process and works to identify opportunities to retain trees through building design process. 

The Residential Planning Codes (R-Codes) require a “deep soil area” to allow space for larger trees to be planted in single, grouped and multiple dwelling developments.

The City provides free street trees for residents, as well as the annual native plant giveaway to encourage residents to plant native gardens and create waterwise verges.

There is no single definition of a ‘large tree’. Different local governments use different criteria, a common criteria being the height of the tree and the circumference of its trunk. For the purposes of calculating Melville’s total tree canopy, the City Urban Forest Strategy identifies trees 3m and higher.

If the City were to propose a local planning policy, the policy would need to define what size a tree needs to be before it triggers the provisions in the policy.

Not at this time. There are no requirements for permission and/or approval to prune or remove a tree on private land. Note, you cannot prune/remove a tree on public land (including your verge) without approval from the City.

A significant tree register is a document that lists the trees in a local government area that are considered to be outstanding for one reason or another, so much so that they warrant protection. The register sets out a description of each significant tree, its location and the reason for its protection. Trees that are listed on the City's significant tree register are protected under the City's Local Planning Scheme.

If the City was to introduce a significant tree register, property owners would need to self-nominate a tree or group of trees within their property for inclusion on the register. These trees would be assessed by the City against a criteria to determine whether they were suitable to be added to the register. Unlike a local planning policy, protections afforded by the register would only apply to those trees that have been nominated, assessed and approved for addition to the register.

A significant tree register is designed to focus on protecting a small number of notable trees, rather than the broader tree canopy and the various benefits it brings.

Local planning policies are created under the City’s Local Planning Scheme, and exist to guide the City in making decisions. A local planning policy on trees would not only define trees that were of a scale that warranted a development application to remove/heavily prune, but also guide the City in assessing how to deal with an application once it was lodged.

A policy would apply automatically to all trees that met the policy's criteria, which would allow it to more effectively manage tree loss/replacement on private land from day one. Policies are also more agile, in that they can be modified quickly to respond to needs and concerns.

The 2024 review of the Urban Forest Strategy looked at all available public land for tree planting, including areas like Attadale Foreshore, but not spaces used for community sports fields. Even if all this land were filled with trees, City of Melville’s canopy cover would still only reach 17%. Achieving that 17% would require planting and maintaining a staggering 68,000 additional trees. This highlights the significant role that trees on private land play in the City’s overall canopy.

This review has sparked important conversations about trees on private land. Interest in maintaining trees has been increasing in recent years, as more people recognise their aesthetic and environmental benefits, which enhance the beauty, health, and livability of urban and suburban areas.

Protecting the City's diminishing tree canopy has been a crucial topic for years, highlighted in the Council Plan 2024-2034, the declaration of a climate emergency, and various Council reports.

The first round of engagement was looking to understand the community's thoughts on trees, and whether the City should have a role in regulating tree canopy loss on private land. At this point, our focus has been on gauging initial reactions and gathering feedback.

If Council decides to progress a Local Planning Policy, further community consultation will be undertaken at that stage.

Community could share their feedback by submitting a submission online, in writing or over the phone, or by attending one of the pop up events.

If Council decides to progress a Local Planning Policy, further community consultation will be undertaken at that stage.

Feedback received during the initial stage of engagement was presented back to Council, along with a list of recommendations for their consideration .

Some local governments have “Significant Tree Registers” in their planning schemes. Residents can opt-in to have their trees considered and potentially included in a significant tree register, which would then see those trees protected. Some local governments (e.g. cities of Nedlands, South Perth, Fremantle and Cockburn) have approved or are pursuing planning policies to protect and enhance trees on private property.

The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DLPH) is currently preparing an urban forest strategy for Perth and Peel.

The City of Melville Council is the final decision-maker.

You can find out more by visiting the following pages on our website.

Ordinary Council Minutes December 2025

Ordinary Council Minutes May 2023

Trees and our Urban Forest