Brisbane City Council to relax tree and vegetation protection laws A storm took down this large tree in Langley Avenue, Wilston. Residents will now be able to trim trees considered a danger. RESIDENTS will be able to trim street trees for the first time in almost 20 years and protected growths will become easier to remove from properties under sweeping changes to Brisbane's vegetation protection rules. In a move likely to anger some community and environmental groups, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk will today announce the proposed amendments aimed at "ensuring people's lives and homes aren't put in unnecessary danger." The changes to the Natural Assets Local Law will affect more than 60,000 Brisbane properties housing protected trees and could have implications for about 600,000 city street trees, including Moreton Bay figs, jacarandas, red gums and hoop pines. Anybody wishing to trim or remove protected trees from their land will still have to apply to Brisbane City Council. However, rather than just consider the tree's health, council will place more emphasis on risks to life or property and "nuisance issues." Residents will also no longer have to commission an arborist report before starting work. The council is also planning to lift a 20-year ban on residents pruning street trees affecting their properties. Currently residents must call on council to request officers carry out even the most minor trimming of street trees. Jacaranda trees in Newstead. Laws allowing residents to trim street trees have been relaxed. Property owners will still have to flag the pruning work with council before getting to work but can gain approval on grounds including "safety, nuisance or presentation." Cr Quirk said the changes were a "reaction to growing community concern" about protected trees being put before the rights of residents. "There will undoubtedly be opponents to these changes, but the January storms reminded us all how easily seemingly healthy trees can cause serious harm and common sense needs to prevail," he said. Cr Quirk said the council would continue to maintain park and street trees and carry out major work but did not want to stand in the way of residents wishing to carry out minor work on public trees affecting their properties. On-the-spot fines of up to $550 will also be introduced for offences including unauthorised interference with a protected tree. Key tree species covered by the Natural Assets Local Law: Hoop Pine (Araucaria cunninghamii). Attains heights over 25m. Forest Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis). Known for dropping large branches without warning. Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia). Grows to 15m high x 12m wide. Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus macrophylla). Grows, on average, 30 to 35 metres tall and 40 metres wide. The same species that famously fell over in New Farm Park. Leopard Tree (a common council street tree). Leopard Trees drop seed pods causing a slip hazard to pedestrians, aren't native and council no longer actively plants them. Source: BCC