Released 19/03/2021
A team recruited through the Jobs for Canberrans program are working to cool down our city and expand the ACT’s canopy cover by auditing new sights for additional tree planting.
Minister for Transport and City Services, Chris Steel, has also called on the community to identify new tree planting locations and has announced a new Government Street Forestry Program.
“Finding appropriate spaces for new trees is critical as we ramp up the fifth major tree planting program in Canberra’s history, to ensure the long-term health of each tree and also maximise their value cooling our city and reducing the urban heat island,” Minister Steel said.
“A team of six staff are working their way across our city to identify vacant sites suitable for new public trees to be planted and the team has visited over 7,500 sites in over 60 suburbs across Canberra as part of our rapid audit process.
“These sites will be ranked in order of priority based on a location’s canopy cover, heat vulnerability and streetscape renewal significance, and will inform how we order tree species for future years.
“As part of the audit process they are looking for information on existing planting patterns and site conditions such as the type of surface cover, competition from existing vegetation, space constraints and existing infrastructure like powerlines and underground services.
The information captured by the auditing team will inform future tree planting programs, with over 54,000 trees to be planted in the ACT by 2023-24 as part of the ACT Government’s Urban Forest Strategy.
Minister Steel said sites have already been identified for the Autumn planting program of 3500 trees that will start in the next month across Canberra, with 9000 urban trees to be planted over this year.
“Sites that have already been audited and that will receive new trees in the Autumn program include parkland paths in Moncrieff, Barrier Street in Fyshwick and the Gordon shops.
The ACT Government is also calling on Canberrans to again come forward to suggest new locations to plant urban trees on public land by dropping a pin on the interactive map on the YourSay website.
Visit www.yoursay.act.gov.au/trees-act/tree-planting-across-cbr to find out more.
“Since the map was launched in October 2019, we have had over 2,400 requests for new trees and many of these locations have been deemed suitable and planted out,” Minister Steel said.
“Over 350 sites this Autumn will be planted from suggestions received via the YourSay map, and a further 400 sites will be planted from Fix My Street requests.
Minister Steel also said the Government would partner with the community to grow the tree canopy.
This will involve working with residents of the streets on the value of street trees, how to keep them healthy, safe and attractive, and involve residents in selecting the tree species from a shortlist.
“Streets in Florey, Ngunnawal, Kambah, Bonython, Scullin and Mawson have been Street Forestry program as they have been identified as being vulnerable to extreme heat,” Minister Steel said.
For more information on the audits underway as well as the Street Forestry www.cityservices.act.gov.au.
- Statement ends -
Chris Steel, MLA ACT Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate | Media Releases
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