PERTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT Urban Forestry Context...Strategy presentation to Standing Committee (Environment) June 2013 Updated Draft Urban Forest Strategy presented to SMG September 2013

PERTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Urban Forestry Context Warren Stephens

Imagine if trees gave off WIFI signals. We would be planting so many we’d probably save

the planet too. Too bad they only produce

the oxygen we breath.

Metro-wide tree decline

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Data released in 2013 on 2011 canopy statistics identified the City of Belmont as being the lowest in Metropolitan WA.

Metro-wide tree decline

Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) (2014) Benchmarking Australia’s Urban Tree Canopy

But what happens to urban environments that are low in

coverage?

URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT

PUBLIC HEALTH POOR URBAN LIVEABILITY

FUTURE GENERATIONS LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY

(+OBESITY, +DIABETES)

(+HEAT, -AIR QUALITY, -AMENITY)

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Concrete environments absorb and retain heat. Green infrastructure promotes areas of higher standards of liveability Not just from cooling effect, but from amenity, reduction of airborne pollutants and delay the movement of stormwater Green spaces/places often mean people are physically and mentally healthier Promotes physical activity and assists in reduced mental illness. People become happier. less pressure on other resources due to reduced overall burden and cost of physical and mental illness otherwise worn by the community (i.e. public health system). POS and streetscapes are often urbanised but can be the last refuge of biodiversity in an urban environment Trees, wetlands, vegetated areas, corridors Our decisions today should also ensure that we leave a legacy for future generations not a tragedy.

Climate and UHIE

• Extreme heat days can be deadly • 347 additional deaths during heatwaves across Australia in

January 2009 • 167 excess deaths in Victoria in January 2014 (Climate Council of Australia, 2016., Department of Health [Victoria], 2014)

• Heatwaves have resulted in more deaths in Australia than any other natural disaster combined (4,555 deaths since 1900)

(Coates, L., Haynes, K., O’Brien, J., McAneney, J., & Oliveira, F. D. (2014).

• Street trees can reduce day time temperatures by between 5°C and 20°C.

(Killicoat, P., Puzio, E., & Stringer, R., 2002)

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Remembering that our core body temperature is 38°C: the increase in the number of days >40°C can be fatal. During heatwaves and days >40°C, heat related illnesses and mortality increase.� Heat can result in fatalities Those most vulnerable are people of lower socioeconomic demographics, people with pre-existing medical conditions, those of non-English speaking backgrounds, the very young and the elderly People in our community who can’t afford to run AC or do not have AC or who can’t, for whatever reason, find respite from the heat i.e. visit someone with AC, visit a shopping centre where its cooler etc. Heat can be mitigated with strategically placed green infrastructure – trees, swales, wooded areas Coates, L., Haynes, K., O’Brien, J., McAneney, J., & Oliveira, F. D. (2014). Exploring 167 years of vulnerability: An examination of extreme heat events in Australia 1844–2010. Environmental Science & Policy, 42, 33-44.

How does local government respond?

LGAs Respond with Governance and direction

Strategy and Objectives

Plans and implementation

• Tree Policies • Community and

Councillor champions

• Broader communication of urban forest issues

• Planning Policies

• Urban Forest Strategies

• Greening Strategies

• Targets • Green/blue or

WSUD objectives

• Implementation Plans (tree planting programs)

• Technical Guidelines

• Community engagement

• Tree Data collection and management

Environment Plan 2010-2015 adopted by Council

June 2010

Strategic Community Plan objective

Develop an Urban Forest Strategy

Strategic Community Plan 2012-2032 and Corporate Business Plan 2013-2017

Street Tree Strategy Workshop (Councillors, Managers & Directors)

November 2010 CEO’s goals & targets

Street Tree Plan SMG Draft Street Tree Plan to

Standing Committee (Environment)

November 2012

Street Tree Plan adopted by Council

February 2013

Canopy Mapping to Standing Committee

(Environment) March 2013

Draft Urban Forest Strategy presentation to


June 2013

Updated Draft Urban Forest Strategy presented

to SMG September 2013


to Standing Committee (Environment)

September 2013

Internal working group formed

December 2013

Meetings with City of Melbourne & Curtin

University January 2014

Group meetings held; 18 February 24 February 25 February 27 February

Consulted with other LGA’s on“Greening Plan”

February 2014

Councillor Workshop April 2014

Adoption of UFS August 2014

Belmont Connect and Media Campaign

Commences January 2015

Councillor Canopy Plan Workshop

31 October 2016

CoB Internal Canopy Plan Workshop

2 November 2016

Community Canopy Plan Workshop/Forum

August 2017

Urban Forest Policy adopted April 2019

Canopy Plan 2019-2024 endorsed May

2019

If you cant measure something you cant manage it

• Aerial Laser Scanning (ALS) develops a 3D terrain model – a ‘Point Cloud’

– Each point has x, y, z coordinates

• accuracy of ≈ ± 60 mm (measurable)

– Able to extract ground terrain, buildings, trees and more

City of Belmont Civic Centre

Belmont Forum

Tree Data

Project or planting season Dead Existing Missing Proposed Refused Planted pre Street Tree Audit 18 13,691 18 TBC 2 Unknown 77 1 Winter 2017 1 606 8 191 Winter 2018 11 659 26 7 207 NSRF Project 2018 340 4 13 Winter 2019 1 1,236 2 23 260 Winter 2020 21 950 Belmont Avenue Road Upgrade 60 Grand Total 31 16,630 58 1043 671

• Street tree data collection commenced June 2015 • Complete dataset August 2017 • Maintained internally since

• Refusal ‘hit words’

21% “Will require maintenance!”

16% “No!”

15% “I use the verge to park on!”

9% “Will impact future development!”

Common Refusals

7% “Will impact traffic safety!”

6% “I have enough trees!”

3% “Will cause shade!”

3% Health complications

1% Will slip on flowers… Conflicts with powerlines… Impacts on my views…

Presenter

Presentation Notes

1% er: “Bad memories - His father fought with the city 20 years ago over a tree removal”

Increased Integration • Facility and car park

upgrade – Incorporated Water

Sensitive Urban Design into car park

• Swale • Vegetation • Trees.

Throwing shade

Presenter

Presentation Notes

It is recommended to do this with some in-ground cell technology Provides the best opportunity for the tree to grow – ensures soil, air, water Is trafficable to various loads depending on the choice of cell Prevents the tree from eventually uplifting the pavement – which would then require the replacement of the pavement and the tree Cells also allow you to reduce the number of individual trees but increases the canopy area – because you’ve created more canopy LEFT: cells being installed below ground. RIGHT: cells are beneath the pavement surface with a planting strip/garden bed in the centre

Throwing shade

Practical Completion Inspection 1 August 2012

Presenter

Presentation Notes

As of Practical Completion August 2012 – trees just installed at 400 litre pot size trees

Throwing shade

Inspection 14 December 2012

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Within a few months we begin to see growth of the trees in height and canopy volume

Throwing shade

Inspection 18 March 2014

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Within two years the trees are easily parked under, provide great shade value and your pavement is protected. Tree growth within the cells is exponential in comparison to traditional planting

Throwing shade

Inspection 7 March 2018

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Additional slide added since meeting: showing increase tree canopy and volume since March 2014

Throwing shade

1 August 2012 7 March 2018

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Additional slide added since meeting: showing tree growth (2018) since practical completion in 2012

Environment Plan 2010-2015 adopted by Council

June 2010

Strategic Community Plan objective

Develop an Urban Forest Strategy

Strategic Community Plan 2012-2032 and Corporate Business Plan 2013-2017

Street Tree Strategy Workshop (Councillors, Managers & Directors)

November 2010 CEO’s goals & targets

Street Tree Plan SMG Draft Street Tree Plan to


November 2012

Street Tree Plan adopted by Council

February 2013

Canopy Mapping to Standing Committee

(Environment) March 2013

Draft Urban Forest Strategy presentation to


June 2013


to SMG September 2013


to Standing Committee (Environment)

September 2013

Internal working group formed

December 2013

Meetings with City of Melbourne & Curtin

University January 2014

Group meetings held; 18 February 24 February 25 February 27 February

Contacted Town of Vincent to discuss “Greening Plan”

February 2014

Councillor Workshop April 2014

Adoption of UFS August 2014

Belmont Connect and Media Campaign

Commences January 2015

Councillor Canopy Plan Workshop

31 October 2016

CoB Internal Canopy Plan Workshop

2 November 2016

Community Canopy Plan Workshop/Forum

August 2017

Urban Forest Policy adopted April 2019

Canopy Plan 2019-2024 endorsed May

2019

• City of Belmont Canopy Plan 2019-2024 – 37 Actions over 5 years – Complement and contribute to the City’s urban

forestry practices • Baseline data • Goal setting and targets • Implementing actions and programs • Monitoring the impacts we are having • Regularly promote this to our community.

Plan for the future

What else do we do to protect and enhance our Urban Forest?

• Recognise the importance, value and scientific complexities of Arboriculture by employing an Arborist on staff.

• Engage qualified arboricultural consultancies for additional, independent advice and support - such as the Arbor Centre.

• Set up TPZ’s around trees in all City development projects. • Continue to pursue innovation and technology changes that support root

growth and health. • Supported other LGA’s with the development of their Urban Forest

Strategies and Plans such as Shire Of Kalamunda, City of Perth, EMRC etc. • Urban Forestry is standing agenda item on Perth Metro Park Managers

Group. • Founding member of the Green Space Alliance. • Member of the WALGA Urban Forest Working Group. • Consult with State Govt re: Design WA guidelines. • Data, data, data. Perpetual measurement of performance against targets.

Thank you

Documents

PERTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT Urban Forestry Context...Strategy presentation to Standing Committee (Environment) June 2013 Updated Draft Urban Forest Strategy presented to SMG September 2013