Tree removal in Mornington: what's local
Slopes
Mornington spreads over hilly slopes 2 kilometres west of the city centre, along Mailer Street, Elgin Road, Glenpark Avenue, Eglinton Road and Kenmure Road. Unity Park looks out over the central city.
The Town Belt below
The bush-clad Town Belt follows the ridge just below Mornington, most noticeably to the northeast. A 2015 assessment for the council called it an important network of vegetation and habitat, so trees on it are for the council to manage.
An old borough
Mornington was its own borough until it joined Dunedin in 1916, and Mornington School on Elgin Road opened in 1865. Gardens that old can hold trees much bigger than anyone planned for.
Postcode
Mornington is 9011, under Dunedin City Council.
Council tree rules in Mornington
Shade comes up a lot on hill sections, and Dunedin's planners noticed. The council's 2015 report on the proposed 2GP said shading of homes was a factor in deciding which trees went on the schedule, and its proposals counted serious shading of existing homes among the reasons a scheduled tree's removal could be considered, through the consent process.
The same report said trees help prevent landslips and erosion. On a steep Mornington section, that's a reason to ask the arborist whether the stump and roots should stay to hold the bank, rather than grinding everything out. The Dunedin permit page has the process, and the district plan team can help.
Questions to ask an arborist in Mornington
- Where will each piece land, and how will it get up or down to the street?
- Should the stump stay to hold the bank, or can it be ground?
- Where will the truck or chipper park on a steep street?
- Is any part of the tree within 4 metres of an Aurora line?
- Would a reduction fix the shade without taking the whole tree?
- Has the council confirmed whether the tree is scheduled?
Trees and power lines in Mornington
Trees cause at least 20% of Aurora's unplanned outages, and hill streets put branches close to the wires. Trimming within 4 metres of a line is work for Aurora's approved utility arborists only. If a branch is on a line, ring Aurora, and if a line is down, keep 10 metres away and call 111.
Hiring an arborist in Mornington
We'd ask first whether a careful reduction or crown lift fixes the shade, because on a steep section a whole removal changes the bank as well as the view. If the tree has to go, check the schedule with the council, then pick an arborist who's thought about the slope, the street and the stump.