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Tree Management Policy
Trees are an important part of Moonee Valley. They provide shade and cooling, support wildlife, improve local streets and parks, and contribute to a healthier and more liveable city. Council manages more than 50,000 public trees and is working towards 30% canopy cover by 2040.
The Tree Management Policy explains how Council manages trees throughout their life and how decisions are made about planting, pruning, safety, retention, removal and replacement. This page also provides practical information about Council's planting, maintenance and inspection programs.
This page applies to trees on streets, nature strips, parks, reserves and other Council-managed land. It does not apply to privately owned trees unless Council is the responsible land manager.
Tree Management Policy
How Council plans, plants, cares for and makes decisions about trees on streets, parks and other Council-managed land.
On this page
Our approach
Safety comes first
Qualified arborists assess and manage tree risk using recognised methods.
Protect and grow canopy
Council plans for long-term shade, cooling and progress towards the 2040 canopy target.
Right tree, right place
Species and sites are selected for long-term performance, biodiversity and fewer conflicts.
Retain suitable trees
Healthy, suitable trees are kept where possible. Removal is considered only where clear triggers apply.
Balance community needs
Decisions consider safety, tree health, infrastructure, amenity and the wider community benefit.
Explain decisions clearly
Council uses consistent processes and provides clear reasons for outcomes.
How trees are managed over time
Plan
Plant
Establish
Maintain
Inspect
Renew
Replace
Council manages trees from planning and planting through to establishment, inspection, maintenance, renewal and replacement.
How Council makes tree decesions
Every tree request is considered using the Tree Management Policy (PDF, 753 KB) and the relevant operational guidelines.
Factors considered in tree assessments include tree health and location, nearby land use, safety, site conditions and infrastructure impacts. Outcomes of all tree assessment requests will be communicated with a clear explanation of how the outcome relates to these factor(s).
Actions that result from these assessments may include tree monitoring, retention, pruning, root management, replacement or removal. Any works, expected timing, replacement intentions and how to seek further information will be communicated with the requesting resident.
What happens after a request is lodged
1. Request received
Online or by phone
2. Triage
Urgent safety issues prioritised
3. Inspection
Qualified officer or arborist
7. Action
Works programmed where required
6. Decision explained
Outcome and reasons provided
5. Options considered
Retain, maintain, monitor or remove
4. Assessment
Policy and guidelines applied
1. Request received
Online or by phone
2. Triage
Urgent safety issues prioritised
3. Inspection
Qualified officer or arborist
4. Assessment
Policy and guidelines applied
5. Options considered
Retain, maintain, monitor or remove
6. Decision explained
Outcome and reasons provided
7. Action
Works programmed where required
Emergency or storm-related risks may move directly to urgent inspection and response.
Tree planting program and seasonal cycle
Tree planting season
Tree planting requests for the next planting season are open until the end of November each year. To submit a request, please call our Customer Service team or email Council at council@mvcc.vic.gov.au and we will assess the location for the next planting season. Requests received after November will be considered for a future planting season.
How the annual planting program works
| September - October | Identify viable planting sites and prioritise areas with low canopy and higher heat vulnerability. |
| November - December | Confirm species, review the preferred species register, prepare contractor schedules and secure nursery stock. |
| January - April | Finalise the planting list, consider additional requests where possible and notify adjacent properties of the proposed species and approximate timing. |
| May - July | Deliver the main planting program. Most trees are generally planted between May and June. |
| Early new financial year | Complete suitable late or additional planting where stock and seasonal conditions allow. |
How planting locations and species are chosen
Several factors are considered in the site and species selection for the tree planting program. Site location prioritises areas that have canopy gaps or are experiencing heat vulnerability alongside considerations of available planting space and opportunities to improve local shade.
The specific site conditions are then considered including verge width, soil and growing space, underground and overhead services, driveways, sightlines and planned works.
These factors, along with streetscape consistency, climate suitability, and biodiversity enhancement are taken into consideration to ensure suitable species selection at each planting site.
Prior to planting, adjacent properties are notified and can raise genuine site-specific concerns for Council to assess.
New trees receive structured establishment care to support survival and healthy growth. Establishment results are monitored to improve future species and contractor performance.
What happens after planting
Plant correctly
Mulch
Water
Inspect
Formative prune
Replace failures
Tree maintenance, pruning and inspections
How Council maintains trees
Street trees are inspected and maintained through Council's scheduled pruning program. Young trees also receive establishment care and formative pruning.
Council undertakes additional inspections in response to reported concerns and assigns work according to assessed risk and priority.
After significant storms, Council may inspect affected areas and prioritise immediate hazards, access routes and other urgent risks before routine clean-up.
Inspections, risk ratings and required works are recorded in Council's tree asset management system.
Programmed inspection frequencies
| Street trees in the cyclic pruning program | Every two years |
| Kindergartens and Council facilities | Annually |
| Regional and municipal open space | Every two years |
| Neighbourhood, local and small local open space | Every two years |
| Reported concerns or storm-affected areas | Additional inspections undertaken when required |
When Council may prune
Pruning may be undertaken where required to manage an identified safety risk, support tree health and structural integrity, maintain statutory and powerline clearances, provide pedestrian and vehicle clearance, maintain sightlines, support the establishment and development of young trees, or address significant and substantiated conflicts with infrastructure where alternative management options are not feasible.
Pruning will generally not be undertaken due to leaf litter, seasonal fruit or seed drop, shading, views, personal preference, or reduced solar access where no separate safety, tree health or infrastructure issue exists.
Where a tree is assessed as presenting an immediate risk, mitigation will be undertaken as soon as reasonably practicable and typically within 24 hours. High-risk works are generally completed within one week. Response timeframes may vary depending on the nature of the risk, operational priorities and site conditions, and remain aligned with Council's Tree Risk Assessment Procedure (PDF, 290 KB).
Tree removal, replacement and root issues
Tree removal is a last resort. It requires a documented arboricultural assessment and is considered only where retention is not reasonably practicable.
What is considered first
Monitoring, pruning, repair, redesign, root management, alternative engineering solutions and the wider effect on local canopy.
Possible removal reasons
The tree is dead, in irreversible structural decline, at the end of its useful life, causing significant unresolvable infrastructure damage, or cannot reasonably be retained for approved works.
What happens after a tree is removed
Removal completed
Site assessed
Replacement location chosen
Species selected
Plant next suitable season
Replacement planting is undertaken where reasonably practicable. If the original site is unsuitable, a nearby location may be used. Planting will generally occur in the next available planting season, subject to site readiness and operational constraints.
How Council responds to root and footpath issues
Issue reported
Site inspected
Cause assessed
Options reviewed
Works prioritised
Outcome explained
Footpath or asset repair, redesign, flexible materials, root pruning where safe, root barriers, monitoring or other engineering solutions.
Only where significant ongoing damage is demonstrated, reasonable engineering options are not practical and other root work would compromise tree stability.
Root barrier and infrastructure works may take time because they depend on site conditions, contractor availability and suitable seasonal conditions. The webpage should explain the process without promising a fixed completion date unless a current service standard applies.
Frequently asked questions, documents and next actions
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Healthy and suitable trees provide shade, cooling, habitat and wider community benefits. Removal is considered only where an established trigger applies and reasonable alternatives are unavailable.
Only where significant ongoing damage is demonstrated, reasonable engineering options are not practical and other root work would compromise tree stability.
Council seeks to replace removed trees where practical. Replacement usually occurs in the next suitable planting season and may be located nearby if the original site cannot support a new tree.
The request is prioritised, inspected and assessed. Council considers available options, records the decision, advises the customer and schedules any approved work according to risk and priority.
Policy and supporting documents
The strategic framework for managing Council trees.
How Council inspects trees, assesses risk and prioritises responses.
How pruning, retention, removal and replacement decisions are made.
How planting programs are planned, species are selected and new trees are cared for.
How root and infrastructure concerns are assessed and managed.