Cumberland Mayor Councillor Ola Hamed with the 1000th tree. Photo: supplied
With tree shade currently covering only 15% of the Cumberland Local Government Area (LGA) in Sydney, council is working to change that.
Ahead of World Environment Day on June 5, Cumberland City Council just planted its 1000th tree complete with QR-enabled plant spikes.
The planting is part of its Covering Cumberland in Cool Canopies Project, funded by an NSW Government grant.
Cumberland Mayor Councillor Ola Hamed says initiatives like these are essential for boosting the area’s green canopy by finding new ways to ‘green up’ suburbs.
“With only 15% tree canopy across Cumberland, projects like these are critical,” she says.
“They help us cool our suburbs, support local biodiversity, and bring much-needed greenery into our neighbourhoods that were built long before sustainability was a priority.
“… we are transforming our city one tree at a time.”
EXPLAINER: Trees are known to reduce surface temperatures by up to 20 degree Celsius
To raise awareness and encourage community involvement, informative plant spikes were installed around the new tree plantings.
These spikes include QR codes that provide translated information about the purpose of the plantings, their environmental benefits and how they contribute to a greener Cumberland, council says.
“The planting of our 1000th tree is not just a celebration of what we’ve achieved but a reminder of what we can continue to accomplish together,” Cr Hamed says.
DIFFERENT STRATEGIES
Council has adopted biodiversity and urban tree strategies to protect and expand green spaces, tackle climate change, combat urban heat and support local biodiversity.
Council says apart from its low tree canopy cover, nearly 50% of its LGA is covered by hard surfaces and this initiative is especially critical for a more liveable urban environment.
Council has planted 4000 trees across the LGA since 2020.It also run other programs and projects such as native plant giveaways, upgrades to the Kibo Reserve Playground, the Adopt a Tree Program and a new cool carpark project at Holroyd Gardens, Merrylands.
For more details about council’s greening initiatives, visit https://www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au/local-environment
