"March 2002." Bibliography: leaves 145-150. This thesis surveyed whether a "common-view' of tree care policy existed in Australia, and compiled a range of current tree-care practices and costs. Responses were compared with similar studies in Britain and Ireland. It found there were no uniform guidelines for determining a tree's function, status, health and safety or value, and no general risk identifying criteria by which trees can be managed. It proposes a draft tree management plan for use by local government to establish the number of trees that need to be managed, their condition, risk status and amenity value. It also contains recommendations about policy, strategies and performance criteria to guide management and operational staff.