More trees to gain significant status

Published on 05 August 2019

Cultural, heritage and ecological contributions will be celebrated through the inclusion of hundreds of additional trees on a register of significant vegetation.

The City of Hobart has proposed to add 741 trees and three hedges to the Significant Trees Code of the Hobart Interim Planning Scheme 2015, providing additional protections for important vegetation.

Last year, the City of Hobart invited the community to nominate trees to be listed as significant.

Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said this was the first time since 2010 that nominations for trees to be added to the Code had been invited.

“There are many reasons why a tree may be regarded as significant,” Cr Reynolds said. “Put simply, they are trees that are important to our city and its residents for reasons that go beyond the norm.”

A total of 1482 trees and hedges were nominated by 53 submitters for inclusion in the Code. Each of the nominations was then assessed by an expert panel against 10 criteria, including aesthetic contribution, size, age, whether they commemorate or are associated with cultural practices or historic events, streetscape importance, rarity, genetic value, and contribution to native habitat.

Cr Reynolds said 534 of the trees proposed to be listed are located within the Soldiers Memorial Avenue.

“These trees contribute greatly to remembering and commemorating those who have served our country and it is fitting that they be formally recognised for their importance,” she said.

“But there are other trees throughout our city that also deserve to be included in the register, which is why we have undertaken this project. “We have the highest urban tree cover of Australia’s capital cities and so many of our trees have a story to tell.”

The new listings comprise nearly 40 tree species and are proposed to join the 416 trees and hedges already included in the Significant Trees Code. Further nominations of significant trees will be invited every three years.

As the process to list the trees as significant required an amendment to the Hobart Interim Planning Scheme 2015, a public notification period will be advertised, prior to the Council making a final recommendation to the Tasmanian Planning Commission.