Around 54,000 new trees will be planted across Canberra by 2024 – a legacy, Chief Minister Andrew Barr said, that would make Canberra more attractive, liveable, and sustainable for decades to come.
The ACT Government will spend $14 million in the upcoming ACT Budget to plant the trees, as part of a plan to increase canopy cover to 30 per cent by 2045.
Chris Steel, Minister for Transport and City Services, said this would be the fifth largest tree planting in Canberra’s history.
“It will help us to grow our city’s forest to ensure it is sustainable, resilient, and contributes to the wellbeing of our community in a changing climate,” Mr Steel said.
“We want all Canberrans to enjoy the benefits of streets and parks lined with healthy trees.”
The ACT Greens said the announcement was a significant step in delivering their election commitment to turn Canberra into an urban biodiversity sanctuary.
“A bush capital packed with healthy habitat and more green space is good for people in our community and all the species we share this city with,” said Andrew Braddock MLA, ACT Greens spokesperson on Better Suburbs.
Canberra’s tree canopy cover was at an average of 19 per cent, and in some suburbs, as low as five per cent, Mr Braddock noted.
“The planting program funded in this budget must prioritise suburbs that have low tree canopy cover,” he urged. “Due to heat island effects, people in these areas really suffer during our hot summers, and are most in need of the cooling shade of more trees.
“Biodiversity is the key to a healthy environment. Building ecosystems, not monocultures, will ensure our urban trees are resilient to climate change, providing shade to cool our city, as well as food and homes to all of Canberra’s birds and animals.”
The ACT Government will also fund the popular Adopt-a-Park initiative for another three years, following a successful pilot program. The program provides grants to community groups to care for local parks and open spaces, including planting micro-forests in suburban parks.
“This empowers volunteers who care for our parks, those who want their suburb to be climate resilient and want their neighbourhoods to receive all of the benefits that trees bring,” Mr Steel said.
Under the budget, planning will begin to upgrade the ACT Government’s Holder Works depot to expand the tree planting and maintenance team, and recycle tree material into sustainable products like woodchips for parks and playgrounds.
“This major new investment is part of our commitment to achieving the objectives outlined in the Urban Forest Strategy, Canberra’s Living Infrastructure Plan, and the ACT Climate Change Strategy,” Mr Steel said.
For more news:
