Tallinn plans to assess tree condition from photos — ERR News
Tallinn, Estonia, is preparing changes to its tree-felling rules. City authorities want to define permit requirements more clearly, reduce the bureaucratic burden and make more active use of digital tools. In particular, the condition of individual trees may be assessed using photographs and mapping applications.
The planned changes were announced by Kaily Lemberg, head of the direct services unit at Tallinn's Environment and Public Works Department. According to her, the city is not developing entirely new rules, but reviewing provisions that have proved problematic in day-to-day work. ERR News reports.
Permits and digital assessment
The amendments are intended to clarify in which cases a permit is required to fell a tree and when one is needed for pruning. Lemberg noted that the rules should be clear to residents, including on whether a permit is required for trimming branches.
The department also aims to reduce the number of on-site visits by officials to inspect trees listed in felling applications. For example, if a tree has clearly died, a tree-felling specialist may assess its condition using photographs and mapping applications. At the same time, Lemberg acknowledged the risk of fraud: officials must make sure that the image shows the same tree that will later be felled.
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Compensatory planting and appeals
The rules are also planned to define the requirements for compensatory planting in greater detail. For development sites, authorities want to determine at an early stage whether replacement tree planting is needed and what its extent should be.
At the same time, the department is updating its internal work procedures and the information system that has been operating for a year and a half. This is intended to simplify the process for property owners and developers applying for permission to remove trees.
Tallinn is also considering the procedure for appealing permits and the possibility of introducing a pause between the issuance of a permit and the felling of a tree. Currently, a tree may be felled on the day the permit is issued, although 30 days are formally provided to appeal it. According to Lemberg, they hope to prepare the full draft of the changes in autumn, after which broader discussions will begin.
