By Cr Cuc Lam
We know trees are important to our community – they help keep our city healthy and bring a range of environmental benefits.
This includes reducing summer temperatures, reducing storm water run-off, providing habitat, capturing airborne pollutants and generally contributing to the wellbeing of our residents.
Trees will only increase in value to us as our population grows.
This is something the west has struggled with historically with Maribyrnong, with just under 10 per cent canopy cover, sharing this issue with neighbouring councils.
That is why over the last 10 years, council has been actively working to improve our statistic through a targeted tree planting program that has seen more than 9000 new trees planted in streets, parks and public spaces across the municipality over the past three years alone.
With the planting season now in full swing, there are 3000 more trees going in to help us achieve our goal – to double canopy cover to 20 per cent by 2040.
On top of this, more than 570 new trees have already been planted as part of the state government’s More Trees for a Cooler, Greener West initiative with another 7500 trees and shrubs soon to be planted along wildlife corridors of the Maribyrnong River.
This will provide habitat for native birds and animals and also help enhance the great work of our local conservation groups.
To add to these greening efforts in the west – and to mark National Tree Day – council is also hosting a community planting day at Burndap Park (76 Cumberland Drive, Maribyrnong) on Sunday, July 31.
Established in 1996 by Planet Ark, National Tree Day is now Australia’s largest community tree-planting and nature care event.
It is a call to action for all Australians to get their hands dirty and give back to their community with the aim to collectively plant one million native trees each year.
So please join us any time from 9.30am to 2:00pm – bring the whole family down to plant some trees, enjoy a free coffee, watch a wildlife show by Wild Action, and grab a sausage from the Lions Club barbecue.
