Tree pruning in Christchurch: what's local
Significant trees: the small stuff
On a listed tree the plan permits taking off dead, broken or diseased wood, and branches under 50mm in the bottom third, as long as the tree keeps its natural shape. Branches of 50mm to 100mm, or limbs rubbing a building or blocking a driveway, need a works arborist to do it or advise.
The top third
Foliage in the top third of a significant tree can only come off by or on a works arborist's advice: no more than 10 per cent over three years, and five per cent in any one year. A heavier reduction means a resource consent.
Spring is the windy season
35% of Christchurch's strong-wind days come in spring. Having big limbs and end-heavy branches looked at during winter means any weak ones are dealt with before the gusts.
Over the footpath
Council wants overhanging growth kept at least 2.5 metres above footpaths and berms and 5 metres above roads. If it obstructs and isn't cleared in time, council can arrange the work and send you the bill.
How tree pruning works in Christchurch
Plenty of Christchurch people search for tree topping, usually because a tree has outgrown the section. Topping cuts the leader and main limbs back to stubs. The shoots that follow are fast and weakly attached, so the tree ends up taller and less stable than before.
A reduction cuts each limb back to a smaller branch that can take over, keeping the tree's shape. NZ Arb, the national arborists' association, supports international pruning standards such as BS 3998:2010 and ANSI A300. On a significant tree, topping would also run well past the top-third limit. The lopping vs pruning guide shows the difference.
Trees and power lines in Christchurch
Leave anything near a power line alone. Orion needs a close approach consent before anyone works within 4 metres of its lines, and on significant trees council says line clearance is for an arborist engaged by the utility company.
If your tree reaches the growth limit zone, expect a Cut or Trim Notice that asks for the work within 45 days. Get a quote from an arborist who can obtain Orion's consent for the job, and read trees and power lines before you sign anything.
Tree pruning in Christchurch: what you can do yourself
You can
- Twigs and small shoots you can reach with both feet on the ground, using secateurs, loppers or a pruning saw
- Dead or broken wood within reach from the ground, which the plan permits even on a significant tree
- Watering and mulching a stressed tree through a dry summer
- Photographing a split or hanging branch, and keeping people out from under it
Leave to an arborist
- Anything that needs a ladder, a climb or a chainsaw
- Branches of 50mm to 100mm and any top-third work on a significant tree
- Anything within 4 metres of a power line, once Orion has given consent
- Crown reductions and thinning on big trees
Hiring an arborist for tree pruning in Christchurch
Check Appendix 9.4.7.1 first. If the tree isn't listed and isn't near a line, ask for a reduction rather than topping, and have each cut described in the quote. If it is listed, choose a firm from the council's approved arborist list, so the work stays inside the plan or the consent is sorted before anyone goes up.