How do I kill a eucalyptus tree discretely?

I have a large eucalyptus tree in my front yard.

Lately it's been looking quite sick and dropping a lot of branches. After a branch fell on a neighbour's car, I asked an arborist to take a look at it. He said it was diseased and recommended it be removed immediately as it posed a danger to my house (it's a few meters away from the main bedroom window).

I put in an application to council to remove it (along with his report) but it was rejected. They didn't agree that the tree posed a danger to the property.

Long story short, I'm going to kill it.

How can I kill it discretely? I've heard lots of methods (diesel on the roots, girdling, hot water and salt, drilling a hole and filling it with roundup, copper nails etc) but it needs to be something undetectable.

Anyone have any ideas?

Where are you? If in Victoria you can chop it down now as the regulations changed after the fires.

Adelaide

Just be careful you don't want it falling on your house or neighbours or anyone else for that matter. What is the fine for cutting one down without a permit? worth the risk?

Excuse me if these seems a little abrupt, but what a dumb question to ask on a public forum. Regardless of what pseudonym one adopts online there are methods by which you can be tracked down; such as a court order issued to your ISP.

If council didn't accept your application then I would suggesting asking them why. Perhaps its simply a matter of providing them with some extra information, or asking them to send someone out to take a look at the tree.

Perhaps you should inform the council that for any further damage caused by the tree in question you would be holding the council liable. That may ruffle a few feathers.

I agree that it's worth discussing with council if there is further info you can provide that will change their minds.

There must surely be some avenue of appeal as well, if you're unhappy with the council's decision - I'm not sure if there's an equivalent of VCAT in SA....?

On the information provided, council's decision would seem to be unreasonable. I suggest you find out about the appeal process ASAP. You should be able to get an unreasonable decision reversed without resorting to illegal tactics yourself.

Besides, I understand forensic arborists can detect signs of tree poisoning without too much difficulty.

Best of luck - justice would seem to be on your side

Cheers
zeke

I know of a similar situation where the homeowner had their solicitor draft a letter to the council, stating that they person who had rejected the application would now be held personally responsible for any incidents related to the tree.
The application was reviewed and the decision was changed allowing the removal of the tree.
May be another avenue to look at.
Cheers
PP

There is no way I'm going to recommend a way to kill it and nor would I in my professional day to day job. This could potentially implicate anyone making suggestions. This is hardly a private forum and you never know, your neighbour may be reading this.

The fact that you have attained a report from a certified Aborist and submitted that to council should CYB in relation to damages. If they say say it is safe, it is safe till damage occurs and that is when I would follow it up legally which will then result in the possible removal of the tree or in the selective pruning and shaping of the tree by a certified Arborist.

A tree surgeon and tree lopper are not an equivalent of a certified Arborist

@BeatrixKiddo, - The fine is $30,000

@ IkonInteriors - I use a proxy. Also, the council rejected the application because they felt the tree was not yet a significant enough risk to the property.

@ Casa2, @Kek et al - When my application was rejected I put it to the council that they should be liable for any further damage caused by the tree. The said that because the tree was on my property, it was therefore my tree and I would be liable.

So, I feel like I don't have many options. I can wait for the tree to drop more branches on my neighbour's car (they were cool about it by the way - they would also like the tree removed) or fall onto my house during a storm, or I can kill it and resubmit the application on the grounds the tree is now dead. I know that will probably look suspicious, which is why I really need to know of any undetectable methods for killing it.

So far I've heard pool salt (which is apparently undetectable but nothing will ever grow in that spot again) or copper nails (which I've heard conflicting reports on - some people say it works, others say it's a wives tale). Does anyone have any experience with these or any other methods?

Roger - if the council says it's on your properly, then you should be able to remove it. I would really get a solicitor involved. They need to specify that if the tree is on your property and you are liable for damage, that you can remove it without permission, or if you need council permission as it is their tree, then they are liable for damage. It's a black and white as that. They are telling you that because they are hoping you'll leave them alone. They won't tell a solicitor that.

Also, if you try killing it, there could be more damage if it drops more branches (which is probably when you kill a tree), and this defies the point of you killing it, doesn't it?

Stop being angry. Do something that isn't going to bite you in the bum later on. If you kill it, they'll know it's you, and you'll get a fine. Simple as that.

Mate the level of advise you have just received from two members here at least is some of the very best you will find in Australia. They are not just average people, they are Horticultural professionals of a high standard of Horticultural education. I would strongly suggest taking the advice.

By all means listen to what the neighbours taxi driver has suggested and get a bag of copper nails and pool salt but it is ridiculous to do those things not to mention dangerous. Both for your safety and that of others as well as environmental damage that can be done.

Pool salt, very detectable. Poisons easy to locate point of application by a certified arborist. nails will be found and won't come out of the tree. You kill it by those methods and be prepared to shell out the large for it. Their folks will find the cause easy as.

Get some legal advice and have the matter sorted in the correct way. If you are a union member often that advice can be accessed for free

Fair enough.

Thanks for your help.

*sigh*

If you think a proxy makes you anonymous then that is your first mistake.. no one is anonymous on the internet.

sorry but had to post as my husband and I both work for Council we have two suggestions:

1. Contact Council and find out why it was knocked back? Meeting face to face is best
2. Get a report from a certified arborist regarding the tree
3. If report says the tree is no good resubmit application to Council with letter of support from neighbours
4. AWAIT Councils reply
5. If no my husband suggests going to a Current Affair!

Armitage57

If an Arborist states that it is diseased and in need of removal - unsafe - then the tree is is a liability. If the council are so dumb to reject an Arborists report then the council needs to get a clue. The council are not scientists or trained professionals so its only their opinion and not their fully qualified and trained assessment they are basing their decision on. One thing to do is report it to the local media. Its a really cheap way of showing everyone what a bunch of goons councils can be. It also might get you the permission to take the tree down without involving a solicitor.

If all else fails make sure you have their "fully qualified" assessment (whatever correspondence they send you). Make them do it 3 or 4 times. Then take them to court, make them pay costs! Its just a game, councils are ignorant on most things. Pen pushers!

So long as an Arborist hands you a piece of paper that states the tree is doomed and why then you have a case, they don't!

Judge to council = Did you asses this tree?
Council = no we did not
Judge to council = Is the person responsible for rejecting this matter an Arborist?
Council = no sir, he is a University graduate trained in social arts and media.
Judge = this case is closed. Ruling in favor of complainant.

Councils = Monty Python
Government = Yes Minister (the documentary)

As kek mentioned earlier just appeal to the SA version of vcat (victorian civil and adminstrative tribunal) for mediation. Make sure you actually have a certifed arborist report or 2 and go for costs while you are there. Very simple case if what you are saying is true, probably won't cost you anything but time. Most likely won't get anywhere near that far. While you wait cut the branches that are of concern.

Interesting reply since I have three degrees and my husband has two. Some very ignorant comments in here...you may have had a bad experience with council but not all Council workers "lean on shovels"!!




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