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Tree guides for New Zealand homeowners

Pick the problem you've got, and start there.

Whatever's going on with the tree, one of these guides covers it, from a tree down in a storm to a neighbour's branches, a notable tree listing or a notice from the lines company.

A worker raking up leaves and sawdust on a lawn beside a fresh stump and a neat stack of cut logs
Pōhutukawa trees on a headland above the Hauraki Gulf

If someone could get hurt

Ring 111 if anyone is in danger. Keep at least 10 metres from a fallen power line and ring 111, then the lines company. Never touch a tree that's touching a line: trees and power lines lists the lines companies and the areas they cover.

Which guide do I need?

A tree or branch came down. Start with after a storm: what to do first, photos, insurance, the Natural Hazards Commission and damaged notable trees. For the job itself, see storm damage.

It's the neighbour's tree. Your neighbour's tree covers overhanging branches, roots, lost sun and views, and how the Property Law Act 2007 works.

You're wondering about consent. Start with tree removal consents and your council's page, then notable trees for how listings work and how to check your section.

A tree is near the power lines, or you've had a notice. Trees and power lines explains cut or trim notices, the first cut and your service line.

The tree looks sick. Is my tree dead? covers the signs you can check from the ground. For kauri, pōhutukawa and mānuka, read kauri dieback and myrtle rust. Roots near drains and paths are in tree roots and your house.

You're about to hire someone. How to choose an arborist, checking an arborist and reading a tree quote help you compare. Ask about NZQA arboriculture qualifications and insurance. Topping, lopping and pruning explains why cutting a tree back to stubs isn't the same as pruning it.

Thinking of doing it yourself? Cutting down a tree yourself sets out the rules and the risks, and removing a tree stump compares the ways to deal with what's left.

How these guides work

Every rule, number and date here comes from a source listed at the foot of the page. District plans differ from council to council, and the new planning system is coming in over several years, so treat a guide as the place to start and check with your council before anything is cut. Where a guide covers the law, it's information, not legal advice.

Rules and neighbours

Your neighbour's tree: branches, roots, sun and viewsOverhanging branches, roots, leaves and lost views: what you can do, and how the Property Law Act works.Trees near power lines: who trims, who pays, what notices meanWho can trim near lines, what cut or trim notices mean, the first cut, and which lines company covers each area.

After a storm

A tree came down in the storm: what to do nowWhat to do first when a tree comes down, who pays, the Natural Hazards Commission and damaged notable trees.

Tree health

Is my tree dead, dying or just having a hard year?Signs a tree is dying, a safe check from the ground, and why a dead notable tree can still need consent.Tree roots near your house, drains and pathsHow roots really damage drains, paths and foundations, what to check first, and the rules on root work.

Hiring an arborist

Removing a tree stumpGrinding, digging out a small stump by hand, or leaving it, with pipes and cables located first.How to choose an arboristMatch the arborist to the job, compare quotes item by item, and know the warning signs.Checking an arborist before you say yesThe NZQA qualifications to ask about, what membership means, and the insurance questions to put in writing.Reading a tree quoteWhat a written tree quote should cover, the vague lines to query, and how to compare two quotes fairly.Tree topping, lopping and pruningWhat topping and lopping do to a tree, how pruning differs, and what to ask an arborist for instead.Cutting down a tree yourselfThe consent rules that apply whoever holds the saw, why felling is skilled work, and what you can do yourself.

More guides

Notable trees: what the listing means for youWhat a notable or scheduled tree is, how to check your section, and when a resource consent is needed.Kauri dieback and myrtle rust: what to look forThe signs of kauri dieback and myrtle rust, the kauri hygiene rules for tree work, and who to report to.Trees we get asked aboutMacrocarpa, pōhutukawa, fig and olive trees: growth, trouble spots, pruning and consent.

More on tree guides for New Zealand homeowners

Do you need council consent to remove a tree in New Zealand?District plans, notable trees and how to check your address before anything is cut.Tree services and tree careEvery tree job in one place: removal, trimming, hedges, stumps, storms, clearing, reports and palms.

Where this information comes from

Tree rules change, so check with your council before anything is cut. How we write and check these pages.