Brimbank City Council will plant 75,000 trees across the municipality over the next six months.

Chair of Brimbank Administrators Mr John Watson said the greening of Brimbank, and the wider western region of Melbourne, is high on Council’s agenda.

“Council released its Draft Urban Forest Strategy for community feedback in late 2015.

“This draft strategy outlines Council’s intention to increase Brimbank’s tree canopy coverage from 6.2 per cent to 30 per cent over the next 30 years.

“Brimbank is also a key partner in the award-winning Greening the West initiative and the 1 Million Trees Project.

“Brimbank has committed to planting 150,000 trees by June 2017 as part of the 1 Million Trees Project,” Mr Watson said.

The 1 Million Trees Project is supported by the Australian Government’s 20 Million Trees Programme (part of the National Landcare Programme) and LeadWest.

“This year we will plant 75,000 trees in areas around our waterways, in parks, reserves and streets.

“Residents will be able to keep track of Council’s planting progress over the next six months via the Branch Out Brimbank website,” Mr Watson said.

Branch Out Brimbank was launched in August 2015 to encourage a love of trees in Brimbank. The website provides information on the benefits of trees, links to Council policies and programs related to the greening of Brimbank and more.

The Greening the West initiative aims to improve health in Melbourne’s west through increased urban greening.

The 1 Million Trees Project contributes to one of Greening the West’s key strategic targets of doubling tree canopy cover in the west by 2050.

 

Article courtesy Brimbank City Council, 13 April 2016