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Ecological and Habitat Tree Pruning
Habitat pruning is a specialised service that creates or retains nesting sites, balancing human safety and wildlife conservation.
MTS will prune branches to secure your tree while also supporting birds, possums, and other native wildlife. Traditional tree pruning involves cutting back limbs as much as possible while maintaining the tree’s appearance and health. It’s straightforward, but it doesn’t provide any biodiversity benefits. Ecological pruning is intentional habitat creation, using selective pruning to form homes for wildlife. Habitat pruning still offers a whole host of benefits to property owners, including safety, reduced risk of tree failure, and lower maintenance — while boosting wildlife shelter and sustainability.
MTS uses selective pruning techniques to remove risky branches while leaving the parts of the tree suitable for wildlife. We take a totally customised approach, tailoring our pruning methods to the species, age, and health of your tree, while also factoring in your location. We’ll create nesting hollows and safe shelter spaces for birds, possums, and insects, while maintaining safety and structural integrity. It’s a practical choice for property owners and valuable for wildlife. In particular, we recommend this service for parks, reserves, and biodiversity-focused developments.
- Supports birds, possums, and beneficial insects
- Retains deadwood and hollows safely
- Maintains tree structure and balance
- Complies with environmental guidelines
- Ideal for councils, schools, and open space managers
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We’re braced for your questions.
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Many of Melbourne’s mature, hollow-bearing trees have been cleared. Habitat pruning creates important nesting and sheltering spots in existing trees for our local wildlife, such as Rosellas, Kookaburras, and Possums, helping them thrive in the urban environment.
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You usually don’t require a permit for pruning jobs, unless you’re working on a canopy tree, a significant tree, or live in an overlay area. When you book a free on-site quote from MTS, our professional arborists will take a look at your trees and the location and determine whether any permits will be needed before we get started.
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Mature, native Eucalypts (Gum Trees) are the best candidates. Species common to the Melbourne area like River Red Gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and Manna Gums (Eucalyptus viminalis) are ideal as they naturally form hollows.
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Look for a Melbourne-based, qualified arborist who explicitly advertises “habitat creation”, “ecological pruning”, or “environmental arboriculture.” Ask them for local examples of their habitat pruning work. Or go ahead and contact MTS for a free on-site quote. All our arborists are accredited, licensed, and insured, with expertise in habitat pruning and restoration.
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Late autumn or winter is the ideal time. Pruning when the tree is dormant reduces stress on it. Most importantly, this timing avoids disrupting native birds and mammals during their peak breeding season in spring and early summer.
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Good news — our traditional tree pruning services are exactly what you need! We can focus on pruning any risky or unsightly tree branches, returning your tree to a safe and stunning state. If you really don’t want animals in your trees, you might also find our possum guarding services useful. We can apply shields to your trees that keep critters from climbing up the trunks.
When it comes to tree work, you want a team who knows their stuff, turns up with a positive attitude, and gets the job done right the first time.
That’s exactly what you’ll find with us. We’re a small family-run business with over 15 years in the game, so we’ve pretty much seen it all — from tricky removals in tight spots to heavy rigging jobs over houses. No matter the challenge, we’re always up for it.
We don’t just rock up and cut down trees; we pride ourselves on doing things properly. We’re fully licensed, accredited, and insured, giving you peace of mind that your property’s in safe hands. Our crew are passionate about their work and take care to treat every jobsite with the respect it deserves. After all, it’s your home, not just a work site.
From your first call through to the final clean-up, we keep things simple, honest, and hassle-free.
Hear it from our clients
With over 20 years experience in the industry we’ve become proficient in all aspects of tree work, so no job is too big or small.