FAQ

Our initial objective was to match the NSW Government’s target of 40% tree canopy cover, however further research revealed this isn't feasible in our Council area.

Our consultant, Edge Impact, applied their unique Tree Planting Predictor (TPP) modelling tool to determine what planting capacity Council has on public land. The results of the TPP show that there simply isn’t enough space in the Council area to plant enough trees to match the State’s 40% target.

Further research was then undertaken to explore appropriate canopy target options. With consideration given to implementation, financial commitment, and available plantable space, we have established that a canopy cover target of 30% by 2050 is ambitious but achievable.

Achieving this target will require an increased financial commitment of at least $14.8M over the next 25 years to plant and establish trees on Council managed public land. Additional funding will likely be required to support the ongoing maintenance associated with managing a healthy, thriving tree population.

To achieve the 30% canopy cover target, we need to plant at every suitable location. Our consultants, Edge Impact, have used their Street Tree Prioritising (STP) tool to identify suitable planting locations and the final planting locations will be determined by Council staff once a site inspection has been completed.

We will notify nearby residents and businesses before trees are planted to provide them with information including the approximate planting location, species, and planting date.

We are currently looking at suitable planting locations and species. Planting will occur over the next 25 years and nearby properties will be notified before any planting takes place.

Before trees are planted, we need to determine planting locations and species. When selecting the right species we need to factor in climate risk and make sure we have a diverse range of trees across our area.

We also need to procure tree stock, engage a contractor to do the planting, and notify nearby properties that planting will be taking place. 8,101 trees is a lot so we can’t do plant these at once and will need to pace planting from now until 2050.

Council will engage contractors to plant trees on public land, and they will be responsible for maintaining these trees for the first 18 months. This is known as the 'establishment period' and includes watering and formative pruning.

After the first 9 - 12 months, Council staff will maintain the trees under Council’s normal street tree maintenance process.

The species list for all street trees is identified in Council’s Street Tree Masterplan (STMP)(PDF, 22MB). As part of the Urban Forest Strategy work, we'll review the species list with consideration to climate change adaptability and make sure there is a diverse mix of species to safeguard our tree population against pests and diseases. We need a balanced mix of native and exotic species, deciduous and evergreen trees.

One of our key tree selection objectives in the STMP is to make sure we plant the right tree for the right location. In other words, to ensure that the selection of the species is appropriate to the local environmental conditions and the constraints of the planting location.