By Amy Sheehan

ABC Lifestyle

Topic: Trees

Councils usually don't remove trees for personal reasons.

People like living in areas with big trees like the Sunshine Coast.

But trees can cause problems, and councils get many complaints.

People often see trees as a problem when leaves fall into their pool.

You can trim a council tree if it's causing issues, but you need to ask first.

Trees can hang over private property.

Caleb Pratt is an arborist and used to inspect trees for Brisbane City Council.

He says to check with your council before trimming a tree on their land.

All council trees are assets and need permission to be touched.

It's against the law to touch a council tree without permission.

You should call the council or check their website.

Caleb Pratt is an expert on trees and used to work for Brisbane City Council.

On the Sunshine Coast, you can trim branches that hang over your property.

But you need to remove the waste and only trim branches that are very close.

If branches are too far, a council arborist needs to look at them.

The council doesn't want to damage trees by removing branches unnecessarily.

Can you ask the council to remove a tree?

Councils usually don't remove trees just because someone wants them to.

A big gum tree can be a problem, but it also has benefits.

The benefits of a tree are often more important than the problems it causes.

If you want a tree removed, you should ask the council to look at it.

Some trees are protected, and you can get in trouble for removing them.

Private arborists won't touch council trees without the council's permission.

Councils might remove trees if they are causing big problems.

Each case is different, and the council will look at the details.

Sometimes a tree is removed because it's the wrong type for the area.

The tree might be replanted with a better type of tree.

Read more about problems with neighbors.

When reporting a tree problem, include photos or drawings.

It's best to get detailed pictures of the tree and its problems.

You might need a report from an arborist.

The Sunshine Coast Council gets many complaints about trees.

You need to be patient when reporting a tree problem.

The council looks at the most important problems first.

Safety is the most important thing, so dead branches are a priority.

People need to remember the benefits of trees, like reducing heat.

There are videos online that show what you can and can't do with trees.

Trees do what they naturally do, like dropping leaves and branches.

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