Move to protect city trees

THE Hobart City Council is calling on ratepayers to nominate significant urban trees they think should be registered for protection.

The council says such trees could provide shade, habitat for wildlife, or a sense of place in the city and suburbs.

In Hobart, significant trees are protected only if they are identified and registered in the planning scheme.

Some of those on the city’s tree register include Bhutan cypress trees in Adelaide St, an English oak in Albuera St, a horse chestnut in Arthur Circus, and the 537 trees planted at the Soldiers memorial at Queens Domain.

Every three years the council gives residents the opportunity to nominate significant trees on public or private property.

Nominations are assessed by experts according to a tree’s aesthetic significance, size, age, links to historic events or people, landmark significance, rarity or ecological value.

Three years ago the council added more than 700 trees to the register based on a larger number of nominations from the community. Nominations are open until November 8.