City of Canning council approves $200 annual tree incentive for locals to protect big trees on private land

Landowners in the City of Canning could be paid hundreds of dollars each year to keep significantly-sized trees on their property in a WA-first solution to bolster tree canopy. A $200-per-tree annual incentive was backed by a Canning council vote on Tuesday night and will now be workshopped into the council’s budget preparations for the coming year. “By giving an annual payment, we are effectively allowing them to retain some of their own rates in order to achieve a positive environmental outcome,” Cr Ben Kunze said at the meeting. “An annual payment will ensure the landowner continues to see the benefit that they are receiving, rather than forgetting about a one-off payment they might have received some years ago.” The council passed the incentive concept despite strong disagreement from mayor Patrick Hall, who worried the incentive would favour those with bigger, expensive properties in suburbs like Shelley and Rossmoyne. “They will receive a significant rebate against their rates,” he said. “(But) we have people battling to pay their rates, young families, in areas like Wilson or Bentley, St James, areas that have already been hit by urban infill. They won’t have the ability to come to the council and get a significant rebate. “We know that our city is a city of two sides; there are people that are struggling to put food on the table.” To qualify for the annual incentive, landowners would have to have their tree listed on the City of Canning significant tree register. Those trees cannot be knocked down without council approved. It comes as Fremantle council this month became Perth’s fifth area to formalise a tree retention policy covering private land. Fremantle - like Nedlands, Peppermint Grove, Cambridge and Bassendean before them - has taken on the model suggested by the WA Local Government Association, which makes it an offence to kill, remove or significantly prune a mature tree taller than eight metres without prior approval. People will be required to submit a development application and have it approved before such trees can be removed or worked on. The City of Fremantle has pledged to plant two replacements trees for every tree approved to be removed. Most neighbouring councils say they are in the process of following suit but Mr Hall said Canning would continue to take a wait-and-see approach to how the model worked in other areas. He said Canning would prefer the State Government set and implement tree retention controls for all suburbs. “Whilst the city is aware that some local governments have adopted the WALGA policy, based on its recent policy review and associated improvements in this space, the city has no immediate plans to adopt it,” he said. The Town of East Fremantle and the cities of Melville and Cockburn told PerthNow tree retention policy discussions have begun. Cockburn’s sustainable development and safety director Dan Arndt said a draft policy based on the WALGA model would be out for community feedback soon. “Cockburn council has adopted a draft local planning policy on tree protection, for the purpose of community consultation, which will commence in coming months,” he said. “The City of Cockburn’s draft policy is based on the model prepared by the WA Local Government Association using the same criteria, but with adjustments to ensure it is easy to implement and enforce.” The City of Melville also held a council meeting on Tuesday where mayor Katy Mair revealed the WALGA option would be one of the options put forward for council consideration by December. An East Fremantle council spokesperson said the town wants to do further research before legislating. “To date, the Town of East Fremantle has not adopted WALGA’s recommendation to develop a tree protection policy,” they said. “Council has determined to research canopy loss on private land before considering any policy that may regulate the removal of trees on private property.”