If you own a scheduled notable tree listed in the Auckland Council District Plan (North Shore City), and you need to prune that tree, you may be eligible for a rebate. The Auckland Council may pay 50 % of the costs up to the value of $2,500 including GST.
Before pruning you need to apply for a tree consent. These applications are free of charge. When you apply for the consent a quote for the intended works will need to be provided to the Auckland Council.
Once the works have been completed, the Auckland Council arborist will sign off that the works have been done. The rebate can then be processed.
Criteria for scheduled notable tree rebate
The reasons for the tree works must fall into the following categories:
1. Pruning for safety
- Reduction / thinning of extended branches with heavy end weight, poor taper and/or exhibiting weak attachments.
- Crown lifting / pruning of branches obstructing lines of sight on streets and driveways.
- Pruning to maintain clearances from dwellings and overhead private service lines.
2. Formative pruning (where these will benefit the longevity of the tree)
- Removal of dead and diseased branches.
- Removal or pruning of crossing and rubbing secondary branches.
- Removal or pruning of broken and storm damaged branches.
- Removal of stumps and stubs to encourage wound closure.
- Thinning of the crown to increase sunlight or to encourage an open tree structure.
3. Soil environment
- Measures designed to improve the tree’s soil environment, such as mulching with compost, in ground vertical mulching and soil aeration where this will be of benefit to the longevity of the scheduled notable tree.
Conditions of the rebate:
- The rebate only applies to scheduled notable trees listed in appendix 8C of the Auckland Council District Plan (North Shore City).
- To be eligible for the rebate, works to the tree must be carried out within two months of the tree consent being issued.
- The rebate must be applied for within 20 working days of the completion of works.
- Only one claim per calendar year can be made for works to scheduled notable trees.
- Rebates are subject to funding ability.
- Rebates will not apply to scheduled tree removal, root pruning and works in the root-zone for site development, or pruning to clear from overhead network service lines.
- The final decision on eligibility shall be at the discretion of the Council’s Resource Consents Arborists.
For more information on the scheme phone Courtney Gallen on (09) 301 0101 or email courtney.gallen@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.
For more information on the funding criteria, and tree maintenance please contact one of the arborists in the Auckland Council’s Regulatory Consents Department.
