Byron Bay residents are being asked to contact council to gain consent to remove trees from their properties.
In the past month council has issued three on the spot fines totalling $6,000 to people in breach of the tree preservation order.
And the consequences for unauthorised tree removal can be severe.
“In this shire the highest penalty that has been imposed was in court on someone is a fine of $75 000, now that’s local.”
If the breach is severe enough the Land an Environment Court has the power to impose a fine of up to $750, 000.
So the advice is simple.
“Check before you chop.”
