Your say on our revised tree management and donation policy​

We’ve combined our tree management and tree donation policies into one document that sets the principles for all aspects of tree management in our local area.

Project Status: Closed

Public consultation period to

What we’re doing

Our tree management and donation policy sets out principles for effective tree management across our local area. It includes species and planting selection, tree management and protection, tree donation and removals.

Following the adoption of our latest greening Sydney strategy in July 2021, we’ve now reviewed several supporting documents, including the tree management policy and tree donation policy.

This review process ensures our tree canopy will continue to be managed for the benefit of the entire community and for future generations. It allows for continuous improvement, alignment with the City of Sydney’s policies and strategic direction and small administrative changes, such as formatting and style updates.

Policy principles for managing trees across 7 key areas

This review process ensures our tree canopy will continue to be managed for the benefit of the entire community and for future generations. It allows for continuous improvement, alignment with the City of Sydney’s policies and strategic direction and small administrative changes, such as formatting and style updates.

Key changes

  • Combined tree donation and tree management content into one policy document 
  • Updated principles and policy statements 
  • Incorporated how trees will be considered as essential infrastructure, or long-term assets, similar to utilities and the built form  

This updated policy is considered the ‘umbrella document’ in our suite of tree management policies. It supports and complements all other plans and strategies, providing specific policy statements on how individual trees will be managed. The urban forest strategy, also under review, focuses more on the collective canopy and strategic management of all trees.

Strategic context – greening Sydney

Our greening Sydney strategy outlines how we will increase greening across the city and share its benefits with the entire community.

Several supporting documents sit under the greening Sydney strategy. They cover specific areas and support the delivery of the actions outlined in the strategy.

The urban forest strategy outlines how our tree canopy (in streets, parks, and properties) will be managed for the benefit of the entire community and for future generations. This strategy has also been reviewed and is open for community feedback.

Our street tree master plan guides our future street tree planting. This plan has also been reviewed and is open for community feedback.

This draft tree management and donation policy sets the policy principles for all aspects of tree management in the City of Sydney local area.

Read the draft policy

Draft policyPDF · 380.38 KB · Last modified

How you can give feedback

Consultation closes at 5pm on Tuesday 28 February 2023.

Feedback may be published in publicly available reports at the end of the consultation period. Your name or organisation’s name may appear in these reports with your feedback attributed. If you would like your feedback to be kept confidential, please let us know when making your contribution.

Other ways you can give feedback