Arborist Kapiti Coast

Kapiti is noticeably windier than inland areas like Levin. NIWA’s records for Paraparaumu Airport show an average wind speed of around 16 km/h, with gusts over 63 km/h on about 77 days a year. Spring is the windiest season, and the strongest gust recorded there was 152 km/h from the north-west in March 2011. Salt-laden westerlies can also scorch foliage on the seaward side of trees near the beach. Regular crown thinning, deadwood removal and checks on weak branch unions help trees cope, and if a storm does bring a tree or branch down, our emergency arborist service can help.

Most trees on private property aren’t. On urban sections, a tree is only protected if the District Plan specifically lists it, such as a notable tree or a key indigenous tree listed against your property. Outside urban areas, larger native trees above set size thresholds, trees within ecological sites, and native vegetation near waterways or the coast can also be protected. Trimming dead, broken or diseased branches is usually permitted, but removing a protected native tree generally needs a resource consent. Our guide to tree removal consent on the Kapiti Coast and in Horowhenua explains the rules in detail, and we’ll check your tree’s status before we quote.

Trees on berms, reserves and walkways are managed by Kapiti Coast District Council. Under its Tree Management Policy, you need the council’s prior written approval before pruning or removing branches from a council tree, even where it overhangs your property. The council won’t top trees simply to reduce shade or leaf fall, or to open up a view. To report a problem with a council tree, contact the council directly, for example through its online service request or the Antenno app.

Not if any of the work is within four metres of the line. Electra owns the electricity network across Kapiti and Horowhenua, and only Electra or an Electra-approved contractor may work inside that zone. Under the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003, tree owners are responsible for keeping their trees clear of the lines, and updates to the regulations in 2024 increased some of the required clearance distances. Electra may cover the cost of the first cut if certain conditions are met. We’ll tell you straight whether your tree falls inside the four-metre zone, and handle any work outside it.

It’s worth keeping an eye out. Myrtle rust is a wind-borne fungal disease that attacks soft new growth on plants in the myrtle family, including pōhutukawa, rātā, mānuka, kānuka and feijoa, and it’s increasingly being reported around the Wellington region. Look for bright yellow-orange powdery spots, usually on the underside of young leaves. There’s no cure, but carefully removing infected growth, cleaning tools between plants, and avoiding pruning myrtles during warm spring and autumn growth flushes all help. You can also log sightings on iNaturalist to help researchers track its spread.

We chip branches as part of most jobs and tidy up before we leave. If you’d like the woodchip for your garden as mulch, just let us know when we quote, and we’ll talk through what’s left on site and what’s taken away. For your own garden waste, Composting New Zealand runs the green waste drop-off at Otaihanga, and Kapiti Coast District Council lists current sites and charges on its website.

It depends on the size, condition and accessibility of the tree. As a general guide, smaller trees typically start from $150-500, medium trees $500-1,200, and larger or more complex jobs $1,500-3,000 or more. Every quote is free and obligation-free, and we’ll visit your property to give you an exact price before any work begins.