Catherine Stewart Tauranga City Councillor

During our Strategy and Policy Committee this week, elected members agreed to seek information on protected trees under the City Plan that will help inform a wider discussion on the process required for a Plan Change and any related Policy changes.

Some seven years ago a STEM (Standard Tree Evaluation Method) analysis of protected trees was carried out as part of reviewing the Tauranga District Plan (now called Tauranga City Plan).

Here is more detailed information about the process from Council –Under the Operative Tauranga City Plan there are two 'groups” of 'protected trees” Notable Trees (Chapter 6 Natural Features and Landscapes) and Heritage Trees (Chapter 7 Heritage).

The STEM system was used to identify trees to be protected under Chapter 6 Natural Features and Landscapes.

(For completeness it is noted that Heritage Trees are trees that have historic associations with the City and contribute to the City through their historic and cultural attributes. These trees are assessed under a different set of criteria relating to the Identification of Historic Heritage as set out in Policy 7A.1.1.1 of the Operative City Plan. Some trees appear on both the notable trees and significant groups of trees registers and on the heritage tree register.)

Chapter 6B Notable Tree and Significant Groups of Trees Provisions

These are trees and groups of trees that contribute to the amenity of the surrounding area and or the City's landscape character. They are listed in Appendix 6E: Register of Notable Trees and Appendix 6F: Register of Significant Groups of Trees.

Notable Trees are assessed under the Standard Tree Evaluation Method (STEM).

The STEM Criteria are set out in 6B.1.1.1 Policy Assessing Notable Trees.

Briefly summarised the Criteria relate to: Condition (Health of the tree) – which looks at its form, occurrence of the species in the city, the vigour and vitality, its function (usefulness) and its age; Amenity (Community benefit) – which looks at its stature, the visibility of the tree, the proximity of other trees, and its role in its setting; Notable (Distinction) – Climatic Influences, stature, historic values and scientific values.

Each of these assessment criteria have a set number of 'points” (standard tree evaluation method points) and the tree's number of 'points scored” added together are the overall score which was the basis for the tree being placed on the register or not.

Under 6B.1.1.2 Policy Identifying Notable Trees a native tree has to score 130 standard tree evaluation method points or greater to be placed on the register and an exotic tree 150 standard tree evaluation method points or greater . This was set as part of the City plan policy development.

The trees on the current register were all scored/assessed as part of the review of the City Plan process, including trees that were added to the register as a result of appeals to this chapter of the City Plan.

Significant Groups of Trees

The criteria for assessing Significant Groups of Trees are set out in Policy 6B.1.2.1 Assessing and Identifying Significant Groups of Trees.

Briefly summarised the Criteria relate to: At least one tree in the group complies with the policy for assessing notable trees, the group must be physically close to each other, have specified height and trunk measurement and contribute to amenity and landscape character.

Since the STEM analysis was carried out trees have grown considerably and some issues have arisen. At the present time anyone with a protected tree on their property needs to obtain a resource consent to remove a protected tree. It is a timely and expensive process which does not guarantee the outcome being sought. A problem tree and resource consent process can be stressful for the people it impacts on – the people living with the effects of the tree.

While trees are highly valued and an essential part of our city's amenity value a review needs to take place. With Tauranga's great climate trees grow faster than most other cities in New Zealand.