ABC News: Government Declines Expert Advice on Boosting Tree Cover in Victorian Suburbs

As summer approaches, the government rejects expert recommendations to increase tree cover in Victorian suburbs

Victoria could tackle extreme heat by adding $1 billion worth of tree shade to suburban streets and rural towns, if a plan from experts to reduce pruning around powerlines was adopted.

But the state government has rejected advice from its own technical panel on rules for clearing around electricity lines, opting instead for what it calls “a more gradual change”.

Every day, crews across the state prune and lop back branches from powerlines. Currently, trees in low-risk areas with low-voltage powerlines are cut back one metre. 

Regional Victoria Power Alliance

Regional Victoria Power Alliance

The Moorabool and Central Highlands Power Alliance Inc. (MCHPA) is a community led incorporated association which was formed in July 2020 as an “umbrella” group representing affected landholder’s, communities, organisations, businesses, and all other individuals and groups who would potentially be impacted by the proposed WRL (formerly known as WVTNP). We all believe that new infrastructure used to transport high voltage electricity from renewable energy sources must be undertaken in a least impactful manner that delivers minimal impact and low to no risk.

On 16 May 2023 the MCHPA expanded to Include VNI West impacted communities under the “Regional Victoria Power Alliance” banner. We are now united under the banner – Regional Victoria Power Alliance (RVPA).

Melbourne Needs 200,000 New Trees to Protect Quality of Life, Study Shows

Melbourne Needs 200,000 New Trees to Protect Quality of Life, Study Shows

Up to 200,000 trees will be needed across inner Melbourne to prevent a widespread loss of canopy – and associated impacts to quality of life – from the planned construction of 800,000 new homes, research suggests.

A new report by the housing advocacy group Yimby Melbourne, released onWednesday, estimates 24.3 hectares (60 acres) of residential tree canopy cover – the equivalent of six cricket ovals – could be lost each year as a result of densification across the 19 local government areas (LGAs) that make up inner Melbourne.

Using publicly available tree canopy, planning and other spatial data, the report estimates the amount of trees that may be removed from private properties each year in order for the LGAs to meet the state government’s draft housing targets.

It found Whitehorse, which takes in eastern suburbs such as Blackburn, Box Hill, Burwood, Mont Albert and Vermont, could lose 2.27 hectares of tree canopy each year, as it attempts to construct 28,210 new homes over the next decade.

It was followed by Boroondara, where 2 hectares of tree canopy could be lost annually as 23,930 more homes are added to suburbs such as Balwyn, Camberwell, Canterbury, Hawthorn and Kew.

SAVING OUR TREES – Marrickville Municipality

SAVING OUR TREES – Marrickville Municipality

 

Discover How Marrickville Saved Its Trees – Visit Their Website to Learn More!

People often ask, “Why focus so much on street trees?” But these trees offer so much more than just shade. In Marrickville, a strong community effort highlighted how crucial public trees are and the positive impact they have on property values, air quality, cooling, and overall well-being.

Street trees naturally create cooler environments, absorb pollutants, reduce noise, and provide essential shelter for local wildlife. Marrickville’s community came together to advocate for these invaluable trees, recognizing their impact on everything from lower household energy costs to safer, slower traffic speeds.

Visit their website to explore how Marrickville fought to preserve its tree canopy, transforming their community’s health, beauty, and resilience

The Economic Value of Trees in Urban Areas

The Economic Value of Trees in Urban Areas

As populations become increasingly urbanised, national governments to local councils are recognising that the trees that line our streets, fill our parks and shade our houses make up an urban forest. Urban forests provide multiple benefits that go far beyond adding aesthetic beauty to our neighbourhoods. Trees in parks, streets and yards, conserve energy, reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, improve air quality, reduce storm runoff, and enhance the beauty of our communities by adding colour, texture, and form to our landscapes.

In addition, no matter where trees are located, they represent an interdependent part of complex ecosystems capable of providing a wide range of economic, social and environmental benefits. All these benefits should be considered when attempting to measure the economic, social and environmental benefits of our street trees. These benefits and services, however, are valued differently by different people and different groups in society. Local, regional, national and international interests in our urban trees and the resources they provide also differ greatly and tend to shift over time.

As interests shift and expectations conflict, difficult policy and management challenges are created, requiring innovative national, regional and local strategies that better integrate urban trees into community development efforts and balance economic, social and environmental needs among local, national, and even international interests. The emerging views of what urban trees are and what they contribute require local governments to search for pragmatic management strategies that deal coherently with both the contributions of trees to urban development and to search for organisational structures to make better use of these contributions.

The roles of urban forestry in general, and street trees in particular (ie., the knowledge, concepts, institutions and practices through which multiple and competing demands for trees are managed), are changing as well. The changes are emerging as awareness grows of how local communities control and depend on trees and urban forests, prompting efforts to strengthen local stakes in urban forestry and street tree management, programs and activities.

Developing effective forestry strategies and policies involves an array of difficult choices. Some choices result in inefficient resource use because many essential benefits and services of street trees, such as aesthetic values, watershed protection, conservation, biological diversity and climate regulation are not priced. Markets with corresponding prices just do not exist for many important street tree services and benefits. The result is that street tree decisions are often biased because the information is lacking.

An important message of this paper is that it is very difficult to address the total economic, social and environmental benefits of street trees because of the multiple roles and competing interests. To some, street trees represent a nuisance, dropping their fruit, branches, and leaves, raising sidewalks or shading their ‘heritage’ roses.

To others, street trees are a noise barrier and an air filter, adding value to their neighbourhood and their properties.