Commercial Tree Pruning and Risk Reduction at Carine Shopping Centre
Dickies Tree Service recently completed a large-scale commercial tree pruning and maintenance project at Carine Shopping Centre for CBRE, a long-term client and one of the world’s largest commercial property management firms.
The works were carried out over three days and focused on the assessment and pruning of large established gum trees throughout the shopping centre car park. Several trees had low-hanging branches over parking bays, along with heavy limbs that needed weight reduction to lower the risk of falling branches and improve safety for the public.
For a busy shopping centre, this kind of work takes more than a set of chainsaws. It calls for careful planning, qualified arborist assessment, the right equipment and a coordinated crew, so the job can be completed safely and efficiently with as little disruption as possible to shoppers, tenants and centre operations.
Project snapshot
- Client: CBRE (long-term commercial property management client)
- Location: Carine Shopping Centre car park, Perth
- Services: Tree assessment, weight reduction pruning, deadwood removal, risk reduction
- Duration: Three days
- Crew: Multiple crews of six to eight staff, supervised by Ben and Nathan
- Equipment: Three elevated work platforms, wood chippers and four trucks
The challenge
Shopping centre car parks are high-traffic environments. Vehicles, pedestrians, tenants and delivery access all have to be accounted for before a single limb comes down.
At Carine, the large established gum trees give the car park valuable shade and amenity, but their size and position also make them harder to manage. Many of the limbs extended over car bays and sat close to buildings, structures and powerlines. Overextended or heavily weighted branches can pose a risk to vehicles and people below, particularly in storms or strong winds, which are a real consideration through a Perth winter.
The main priority was to improve safety around the car park without compromising the long-term health, structure or appearance of the trees. That balance is exactly where experienced arborists earn their keep. Pruning too hard, or in the wrong place, does more harm than good over time.
The project also brought several logistical challenges:
- Working in and around a busy public car park
- Managing pedestrian and vehicle access throughout
- Safely closing off sections of the car park in stages
- Planning works around shopping centre trading hours
- Working close to structures and powerlines
- Coordinating multiple crews and machines on one site
- Completing the works within a tight timeframe to reduce disruption to businesses and customers
Our approach
Before and during the works, our qualified arborists assessed each tree to determine the safest and most appropriate way to prune it. Assessment first, cutting second, is how we protect both the public and the tree.
The crews carried out weight reduction pruning on the large gum limbs over the car bays, along with deadwood removal to reduce the chance of dead branches falling onto vehicles below. Throughout the project the focus stayed on public safety, access management and retaining the health and structure of the trees wherever possible.
This kind of work sits within our wider tree pruning and tree risk assessment services. Our team includes Certificate III qualified arborists, and we have registered users of the QTRA (Quantified Tree Risk Assessment) and VALID tree risk-benefit methods, which are the recognised frameworks used to weigh up tree risk against the value a tree provides. For a property manager, that means pruning decisions are backed by a defensible, industry-standard process rather than guesswork.
To keep the project moving, we deployed multiple crews across the three days. Supervisors Ben and Nathan led a team of roughly six to eight staff, supported by three elevated work platforms, wood chippers and four trucks. The elevated work platforms let the crews reach the upper limbs safely, the chippers processed branches on site as the work progressed, and the trucks kept the car park clean and clear throughout.
Safety and site coordination
Public safety sat at the centre of both the planning and the delivery.
Sections of the car park were closed off in stages while works were underway, with exclusion zones set up to keep pedestrians and vehicles clear of the drop zone and to give the crews room to work safely at height. Where possible, works were scheduled around key trading hours to limit the impact on the centre.
Running several crews and machines at once meant the whole job could be completed in a shorter window, which reduced the number of days tenants, customers and the CBRE property management team were affected. Every Dickies crew works under our full safety systems, including OH&S white cards, first aid training and $20 million public liability insurance, which matters on any commercial site where the public is close to the works.
The outcome
The project was completed successfully over three days. The trees were pruned and maintained to improve clearance, reduce risk and support ongoing tree health, and the car park was left safer for shoppers, tenants and vehicles while the value and amenity of the established trees were preserved.
The client was very happy with the result, with no complaints following the works.
“We engaged Dickies Trees for a major maintenance project at one of our local shopping centres. The team was happy to accommodate and work around our trading hours and minimise the impact on neighbouring residents. The works were completed safely and efficiently, delivering an excellent result.”
Sebastien Lepoittevin , Facilities Manager, CBRE | Retail Property Management
For large commercial properties like shopping centres, regular tree assessment is an important part of ongoing site safety. As a general guide, trees should be assessed every twelve months, while larger pruning and maintenance works of this scale are usually needed every two to three years, depending on the age, size, condition and location of the trees.
Why proactive commercial tree maintenance matters
Commercial tree maintenance is about far more than pruning. It takes planning, communication, risk management, qualified arborists and the ability to work safely in high-traffic environments.
For property managers, facility managers and commercial site owners, a proactive maintenance programme can help:
- Reduce the risk of falling branches and limbs
- Improve safety for pedestrians and vehicles
- Protect buildings, car parks and infrastructure
- Maintain the appearance and amenity of the site
- Support the long-term health of established trees
- Keep disruption to a minimum through planned, professional works
With more than 40 years in business and a team of over 40 staff across seven crews, Dickies Tree Service has the experience and equipment to deliver commercial tree pruning, risk assessment and maintenance across Perth for shopping centres, government and corporate sites, schools, strata properties and public facilities. We also provide 24/7 emergency response and Western Power qualified power line clearance when they are needed.
Need commercial tree maintenance for your property?
If you manage a commercial property, shopping centre, strata site or public facility, we can help with tree assessments, pruning, risk reduction works and ongoing maintenance programmes.
Contact our team on 08 9249 4077 to discuss your site requirements and arrange a free quote.
Cameron Dickie is the Managing Director of Dickies Tree Service, a family-owned arboriculture and tree services company based in Perth, Western Australia.
With more than 23 years of industry experience, Cameron has progressed from groundsperson to Managing Director, developing hands-on expertise across tree removal, pruning, vegetation management, risk assessment and emergency response works.
Under his leadership, Dickies Tree Service has grown into one of Perth’s most established and trusted tree service providers, delivering works for government agencies, local councils, universities, commercial organisations and residential clients across the Perth metropolitan area. Cameron is passionate about responsible tree management and best-practice arboriculture, with a strong focus on safety, compliance and long-term tree health outcomes.
