PLAYING YOUR BEFORE PART YOU A POWER OUTAGE CAUSED BY YOUR TREE MAY NOT PLANT... JUST AFFECT YOU.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? KNOW WHAT YOU CAN. BE AWARE KNOW WHAT YOU CAN’T. Look around your property, and be aware of any trees near power lines which could pose a risk. PLANT SMART Look up, think about the species you want to plant, and plant smart.
TRIM EARLY Maintain your trees before they become difficult to manage and hazardous. CONSIDER REMOVAL It’s not just trees growing into lines. Trees falling into lines are the cause of 95% of vegetation TREES related power outages. Consider removing tall trees that could fall through power lines. GROWING TOO CLOSE TO POWER LINES CAUSE POWER
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UNISON.CO.NZ SAFETY / PLANTING-GUIDE V#1 RIGHT TREE, SUITABLE TREES FOR PLANTING UNDER RIGHT PLACE OR NEAR POWER LINES
Unison recommends that you do not plant trees near BOTANICAL NAME MATURE HEIGHT BOTANICAL NAME MATURE HEIGHT power lines. However, if you do decide to plant a tree anywhere near power lines, please choose your Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’ 2.5m Lavandula spp 1.5m tree carefully. Acer palmatum ‘Tsuma-gaki’ 2.5m Leionema nudum syn. 2m Trees must be kept clear of power lines, as required Aloe arborescens 3m Leptocarpus similis 1m by the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations Aloe striatula 1.8m Leucopogon fasciculatus (Cyathodes 2m 2003. Under these Regulations, tree owners are fasciculata) responsible for the costs of keeping trees trimmed Astelia spp (Native) 2m Leucospermum spp 3.5m and outside the ‘Growth Limit Zones’ near power Banksia ericifolia (Heath banksia) 3m Libertia grandiflora 50cm lines. Tree owners could face penalties for failing Banksia occidentalis 3m to keep trees clear of power lines and may be Libertia ixioides 40cm Baumea spp 1.8m responsible for the costs of damage to power lines Libertia peregrinans 40cm or equipment, caused by a tree. Carex spp 50cm Macropiper excelsum 4m Ceanothus spp 3.5m To avoid the risk and costs of trees growing too Melicytus lanceolatus 4m Clianthus puniceus 1.8m close to power lines, it makes good sense to choose Myrsine divaricata 4m trees carefully before planting. The trees listed Citrus spp 2m Olearia arborescens 3.5m in this brochure are suitable for planting under or Coprosma spp 4m Olearia solandri 4m anywhere near power lines as they are least likely Cordyline banksii 4m to grow high or wide enough to cause problems Olearia cheesemanii 3.5m with the power lines. Remember, even when trees Corokia spp 4m Phormium cookianum 2m appear to be well clear of power lines, they can still Cortaderia spp 2.5m Phormium tenax 3m pose a threat to the power supply during storms and Daphne spp 2m strong winds. Photinia glabra ‘Rubens’ 3m Feijoa sellowiana (Feijoa) 3m Pieris spp 1.8m For further advice on native species most suitable Gahnia spp (Native) 1.5m Pimelea longifolia 1.5m to your area or habitat contact your local Regional Gardenia augusta 1.5m Council or garden centre. For more information Pimelea prostrata 50cm Geniostoma rupestre 4m about the Regulations and your responsibilities as a Plagianthus divaricatus 2m tree owner, please visit: Grevillea aquifolium 3.5m Pomaderris kumeraho 3m www.energysafety.govt.nz or www.unison.co.nz. Grevillea australis 1.8m Sophora prostrata 1.8m Grevillea caleyi 3m Telopea speciosissima 3m Grevillea hookeriana 2.4m Viburnum acerifolium 3m AND REMEMBER, BEFORE Hebe spp 2.5m Viburnum dilatatum 3m Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 1.5m PLANTING A TREE, LOOK UP AND Yucca baccata 1.5m Hydrangea macrophylla 3.5m LOOK OUT FOR POWER LINES. Yucca gloriosa 2.4m
The trees listed in this brochure are suitable for planting under or However, if they are in especially favourable growing conditions / PLANTING-GUIDE anywhere near power lines as they are least likely to grow high some may still need to be trimmed in the future in order to stay or wide enough to cause problems with overhead power lines. clear of power lines.