Canopy contribution agreement

A canopy contribution agreement is required to remove a protected tree. The contribution counterbalances the loss of canopy coverage. It involves planting new trees on your property or making a payment towards planting trees elsewhere.

If a protected tree is approved for removal, the applicant will be required to enter into a canopy contribution agreement with the ACT Government. The agreement sets out:

• how many replacement trees are to be planted on the block to replace those removed, and
• if some or all of the trees cannot be planted, what financial contribution is required to support tree canopy elsewhere.

Replanting and repayment requirements are different for homeowners (owner-occupiers) and non-homeowners (such as developers). The replanting requirements for replacements trees must be in line with the principle of replacing the lost canopy of tree approved for removal.

Retain

The preferred option is to retain mature trees. Talk to an arborist first about options to safely manage and retain the tree.

If retaining a protected tree is not possible, you must seek approval from the ACT Government to remove the tree before proceeding. See tree activity applications for more information.

Replant or pay for homeowners

If you gain approval to remove a protected tree you will receive a canopy contribution agreement. This will provide details on the commitment to replant trees on the block and/or make a financial contribution.

The requirements for homeowners (owner-occupiers) are:

• replant 2 trees on your block for each tree approved for removal, or
• if the ACT Government determines that it will not be possible to replant on the site, pay a financial contribution of $600 per replacement tree not planted. This equates to a maximum of $1,200 per removed tree.

Replant or pay for non-homeowners

The financial contribution and replanting requirements are different for non-homeowners (investors and developers) and will be determined by the ACT Government during the application process. The requirements will depend on the size and location of the tree/s to be removed.

The financial and replanting requirements will increase depending on the zoning on which the tree is located. For example, tree removal in higher density areas requires more replanting (or higher financial contribution) to compensate for the high community impact of tree removal.

To estimate the replanting and/or financial contribution amounts required, use the tree calculator.

Replanting numbers and costs decrease as more trees are retained or replanted on site.