Public exhibition of the Canopy Tree Protection Local Law has now closed.


We are looking for ways to expand and protect tree-canopy coverage throughout Glen Eira — because we know it’s important to our community and because we have some of the lowest levels of tree-canopy coverage of any Melbourne council.

A new Canopy Tree Protection Local Law is proposed to protect our urban forest canopy - the fragile, essential network of trees that shade and cool our streets and footpaths throughout Glen Eira.

The local law would support our Urban Forest Strategy and Council's aim to grow Glen Eira's tree canopy from 12.5 per cent to 22 per cent by 2040.


Measures to protect our tree canopy

The proposed local law would amend the current Classified Tree Local Law and would extend protection to one of the most vulnerable parts of the urban forest — trees on private property.

Our municipality has relatively low levels of tree canopy cover compared to other councils. Our tree canopy coverage has reduced by an alarming 50 per cent between 2000 and 2021.

The Urban Forest Strategy estimates about 3,000 trees are cut down on private land each year. Private land accounts for about 66 per cent of Glen Eira.

Once mature trees are removed, they are very difficult to replace. As our population increases, it leaves even less room for large canopy trees to grow.

Our tree canopy is a precious resource that is easy to take for granted.

In addition to its aesthetic benefits, it offers a range of quantifiable benefits including:

  • storing and filtering stormwater;
  • keeping streets and footpath temperatures cooler;
  • removing pollution from the air;
  • reducing wind speeds along our streets;
  • providing biodiverse habitat for local animals and insects; and
  • improving community wellbeing.
  • Glen Eira's tree canopy was at 12.52 per cent in 2021.
  • Privately owned land makes up 66 per cent of Glen Eira.
  • About 3,000 trees are removed from private land each year.
  • We plant about 2,000 trees per year on public land.
  • We remove between 600 and 800 trees per year for various reasons, including when a tree represents a hazard to the community.

How the proposed law would work

If adopted, the new local law would require a permit from Council to prune or remove a tree over a certain size on private property.

A tree will qualify for protection if it:

  • is taller than five metres with a trunk circumference of 140cm and a height of 1.4 metres from the ground; and
  • is a palm tree taller than eight metres from the ground.

Local governments across Melbourne, including several that border Glen Eira, maintain and protect canopy tree cover successfully with their own local laws.


View important documents

We encourage you to read and familiarise yourself with the following documents in the Document Library on this page before making a submission:

  • Classified Tree Amendment Local Law — this document is the proposed Local Law.
  • Community Impact Statement — Canopy Tree Protection Local Law — this document provides information about the proposed Local Law.
  • Classified Tree Local Law — tracked changes — this document identifies where changes have been proposed as part of the Local Law amendment process.

Make a submission

Submissions must be in writing and received by Council by 12 April 2024. There are several ways you can provide your submission for the proposed local law:

Find out more

We encourage you to find out more about the proposal by attending a face-to-face drop-in information session, or booking a time to discuss the proposal over the phone with the Urban Forest team.

  • Register to attend a drop-in session

    Attend a face-to-face drop-in session and speak with the team about the proposal. Sessions have been completed