Parliament last month passed amendments to the Act aimed at removing "unnecessary red tape" for property owners, Environment Minister Nick Smith said.
Under the changes, councils would no longer be able to impose blanket protection orders on trees.
Only Auckland councils impose blanket protection orders and the northern city will have two years to designate specific trees for protection.
Dunedin City Council resource consents manager Alan Worthington said Dunedin moved to its present system in 2000.
It mirrored the changes to the Act.
"Hundreds" of significant trees had been identified in the district plan, and property owners wanting to remove, trim or prune trees required resource consent, he said.
There were no fees for these applications and the council provided funding up to $250 to assist with maintenance of significant trees.
People wanting to prune a significant tree should contact the council.
In most cases, instant consent was granted.
Felling of a significant tree required public notification, such as a recent application to remove two copper beeches from a Granville Tce property.
While the council would be updating the list, people wanting to add trees to the present list - which is carried on the DCC website - should contact the council, Mr Worthington said.
Significant trees
- Hundreds of Dunedin trees are protected under the district plan.
- Property owners require consent to remove, trim or prune significant trees listed with the Dunedin City Council.
- Significant trees have been identified as having landscape, botanical, cultural and historic values.
- Species listed with the council include kauri, nikau, strawberry trees and atlas cedar.
Source: Dunedin City Council
