Without enough trees, Canberra’s way of life is at serious risk.
That’s why planting enough trees now is an investment in the future of our city.
At a time of climate emergency, trees are even important. The climate is warming—summers are getting hotter—and heatwaves are happening more often, and are hotter, for longer.
Yet street and park trees in our established suburbs are declining by around 3,000 a year, and the Government’s replanting program isn’t meeting the mark.
Worse, the last report on this issue, from 7 years ago, showed that our streets and parks need 40,000 trees to fill gaps where trees are missing and to replace dead and dying trees.
Older suburbs are losing their tree canopies as bigger houses replace modest older homes on bigger blocks. Elsewhere, newer suburbs are being built without room for deep rooted shade trees.
Canberra’s urban trees are loved by the Canberra community. They provide shade to keep our suburbs cool in summer and are important for native birds and animals.
The Greens are calling on the ACT Government to plant an extra 7,000 trees a year to reverse the decline, and begin restoring the city’s tree canopy.
Action on street and park trees
That’s why the Greens are calling on the ACT Government to plant an extra 7,000 street and park trees a year to reverse the decline and begin restoring the city’s tree canopy.
The Greens tabled a community petition of some 1,482 signatures calling for the planting of 7,000 more trees a year in March 2019.
The 2019/20 Budget is an important first step, with funding for 17,000 new street and park trees over the next four years. This is a big increase, but still short of what is required.
Action on trees and development
In late 2017, Caroline Le Couteur introduced a motion in the Assembly, calling for three reviews to ‘make room for trees’ in development and to get better protection for existing trees. In a major win, this was passed. This work has started within Government and I am expecting community consultation to start in the next few months.
I expect the development industry will fight making room for trees. It will need a big effort from both Shane and I, and people such as yourself who care about trees, to get the right outcome. It would be great to have your support - sign up for more email updates here.
Action on planning rules
In a recent submission to the ‘Housing Choices’ Inquiry, the Greens called for the protection of room for trees and gardens.
