Residents and business owners can request a street tree be planted on their verge as part of the annual Street Tree Planting program.

Our street trees are sourced and grown from seed in line with Australian Standards, so are ordered 12 months in advance. It’s important to submit your request for a street tree with enough notice for a tree to be arranged for your verge.

To request a street tree, please use the request a street tree form or phone the City's Parks, Leisure and Environment team on 9477 7257.

Information on the approved street tree species can be found in our Street Tree Planting Palette.

Request a street tree form

We conduct verge audits to identify vacant locations for tree planting across the City. We prioritise locations based on canopy cover levels, urban heat reduction and available planting space. This makes sure the planting program can bring the most benefit to the community.

The location of a tree on the verge is carefully chosen to avoid conflicts with driveways, underground services, pedestrian pathways and surrounding infrastructure.

The location of street and verge trees will also help guide the tree species selected for planting.

If you have concerns about the location of a street tree on your verge, you can contact the City to discuss adjustments before planting.

Properties receiving a street tree during the annual planting program will receive a flyer in their letterbox. 

A mark will be placed on the verge to identify the planting location of the new street tree.

Trees planted in road reserves and verges are located on public land that is managed by the City.

While we understand this may affect adjacent private properties, the City has committed to enhancing these public spaces and increasing canopy cover for the benefit of the whole community.

If you have a concern about tree placement or species selection, we encourage you to contact us prior to planting so we can explore adjustments to suit your needs.

Property owners who do not wish a tree planted on the adjacent verge during the upcoming planting season can submit their request in writing to the City. We encourage property owners   to review the City’s Urban Forest Policy and Canopy Plan to inform their request.

All requests are reviewed by a City panel and the property owner is advised of the outcome in writing. Requests cannot be granted on an indefinite basis and will apply for the upcoming planting season only (unless otherwise specified in the outcome). 

Written requests can be sent via email to belmont@belmont.wa.gov.au, submitted in person at the City of Belmont Civic Centre, or posted to City of Belmont Civic Centre, Locked Bag 379, Cloverdale, Western Australia.

The City must receive a development application in order to complete an assessment of potential street tree impacts. Until an assessment is completed planting will go ahead.

If your development application has been submitted and may affect a newly planted street tree, you should notify us as early as possible.

We can then assess the situation and determine whether adjustments can be made or if the tree must be retained as per the Urban Forest Strategy and Street Tree Plan​. 

We understand some households may use their verge for additional parking space. While we encourage residents to make the most of the verge space, the City is committed to enhancing this public land to benefit the whole community.

Street and verge trees play an important role in providing shade, cooling the area and improving our streetscapes. Once mature, they can help keep cars cooler and contribute to a greener, healthier environment. 

If you have concerns about how a street tree may affect your use of the verge, we encourage you to contact us before planting occurs so we can discuss available options. 

It’s important to note that while parking on a verge may be common, it is not a designated right and should still comply with the City’s Consolidated Local Law 2020. Under this local law, it is an offence to leave a vehicle in a public place for more than 24 hours without moving it. You can find more information on parking guidelines on our website.
 

Consolidated Local Law 2020

There are over 35 tree species approved for planting across the City’s streetscapes.

Our Street Tree Planting Palette provides a guide of the approved species, their characteristics, and the environment they are best suited.

The species selected for planting is based on the available planting space and verge size, surrounding infrastructure, and the environmental conditions. Careful species selection ensures a tree can grow to full health and brings the most benefit to the immediate area and broader community.

As City trees are grown from seed, any requests for a specific tree species must be made the year before planting so your tree can be arranged. Once a tree has been planted, it cannot be replaced with another species.

Street Tree Planting Palette

The City is responsible for the planting and maintenance of trees located on public land. This includes the initial maintenance, pruning, watering and health checks.

Newly planted street trees are watered fortnightly to help with growth and establishment of the tree. Watering continues during summer for the next two to three years, with minimal additional watering required once established.

We select drought-tolerant species to ensure the trees can thrive in local conditions and sustain themselves on rainfall, however, we encourage residents to provide additional watering during especially hot or dry periods. We will also arrange additional watering where the health of street trees are at risk due to hot or dry weather.
 

The City is responsible for the management, maintenance, and protection of street trees to ensure their health and longevity.

The ongoing maintenance of street trees is undertaken as part of our urban forest program, and includes health checks from our Urban Forest team, watering, and pruning in line with Australian Standards.

Our Urban Forest team undertake frequent site visits to ensure the health and safety of trees, plus working closely with infrastructure and planning teams to assess risks and complete Arborist reports.

We complete an annual power line pruning program, in line with Western Power’s clearance guidelines.

Under the City’s Urban Forest Policy, residents are not permitted to interfere with street and verge trees in any way. This includes pruning or removing trees on City-managed land.

City trees are pruned in compliance with Australian Standards 4373-2007 - Pruning of Amenity Trees and only for specific reasons, including: 

• Promoting and increasing canopy cover.

• ​Supporting or extending the tree’s useful life expectancy. 

• Mitigating an unacceptable risk of harm or damage to infrastructure, property, or safety. 

• Alleviating a significant negative impact on adjacent properties. 

Trees will not be pruned for: 

• Aesthetic purposes. 

• Maintaining or creating viewscapes. 

• Reducing shading of solar panels, outdoor areas, pools, or gardens. 

• Preventing leaf litter, nut drop, or other nuisance factors. 

Urban Forest Policy

If you are considering making a request for the City to prune a tree, please bear in mind:

• City trees are pruned to manage risk and keep roads, footpaths and overhead services clear from branches and will only be pruned to adopted standards;  

• In February to May each year, the City conducts an annual power line pruning program, in line with Western Power’s clearance guidelines. Only street trees under power lines will be pruned during this period; 

• Any other requests for tree pruning will be assessed by the City and actioned as appropriate. 

The City does not prune or remove trees based on general natural factors, such as leaf drop, flowers, nut drop, bark, sap or small branchlets. A quality gutter guard can successfully protect roof gutters from leaf and nut drop.

For more information on tree pruning in the City of Belmont, please use the customer request form or phone the City’s Parks, Leisure and Environment team on 9477 7257.

Street trees are a shared asset to our community, and their protection is guided by the City’s Urban Forest Strategy and Urban Forest Policy.

If you are considering requesting a City street tree to be removed, please bear in mind:

• Conservation of street trees is a priority of the City; 

• A tree will only be considered for removal when it is dead, diseased or dying or it poses a high risk of harm to people or property; 

• Tree removal and replacement requirements associated with a development will be assessed as part of a Development Application or Crossover Application. Trees will not be removed in advance of these applications. 

Only the City or someone with specific direction and written approval from the City can remove street trees, in line with the City’s Urban Forest Policy.

For more information on tree removal, please use our customer request form or contact our Parks and Environment Team on 9477 7257.