Standards Australia have advised that AS 4970-2009: Protection of Trees on Construction Sites has now been published and is available for purchase from their website (see below).

This Standard gives guidance to horticulturists, arborists, architects, builders, engineers, land managers, landscape architects, contractors, planners, determining authorities, building surveyors, certifiers, those concerned with the care and protection of trees, and all others involved in the management of trees and development.

The  NSW Government review of the Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006 has recently commenced.

The Review will determine whether the policy objectives of the Act remain valid and whether the Act as it stands is appropriate for achieving those objectives.

The Act provides for the Land and Environment Court of NSW to make orders to remedy, restrain or prevent damage to property or to prevent injury to any person when a tree, situated on adjoining land, might cause that damage or injury. The Act also permits the Court to order compensation for or rectification of damage caused by a tree.

A copy of the Act can be accessed at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au.

The NSW Attorney General's Department invites interested individuals or organisations to make written submissions to the review.

Submissions should be sent to the Director, Legislation, Policy and Criminal Law Review Division, NSW Attorney General's Department, GPO Box 6, Sydney NSW 2001 or emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by Wednesday 18 February 2009.

By DANNY DRAPER, PETER RICHARDS

Available January 2009

This dictionary contains a complete list of terms used in the universal management of urban trees. Many of the terms are from Arboricultural science, while others are derived from unproven but commonly applied concepts. Some new concepts have been introduced where the existing terminology to describe trees was limited or nonexistent. In many texts concepts are only partly defined and so uncertainty can remain as to their exact meaning. Here the dictionary aims to provide clarity.

The Nursery & Garden Industry is hosting the inaugural 2009 Urban Greenscapes Symposium at the National Convention Centre in Canberra on February 17, to unveil the benefits of plants and green-life in the urban landscape and bring together all stakeholder groups to drive unity of message and create a stronger platform on which to engage government.

The aim of the 2009 Urban GreenScapes Symposium is to bring together all stakeholder groups that have an interest in the environment and urban planning to work together to create a stronger unity of message about the benefits of urban greening.