About the project

One Million Trees In 2015, Lead West on behalf of Greening The West received $6 Million from the Australian Government to plant an additional one million trees across Melbourne’s west.

This funding included $5 Million from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, with an additional $1M to engage Green Army teams to deliver key revegetation projects in partnership with Conservation Volunteers (CVA) and Councils partners of Greening The West.

The Federal Minister for Health at the time, Greg Hunt, officially launched the Greening The West One Million Trees project at Kororoit Creek in mid-2014. Over the following four years, more than a million trees were planted across parks, reserves, open spaces and private land, covering an area of 1,755 hectares across Melbourne’s west.

This outcome was achieved thanks to Lead West, who secured the Federal Landcare funding and the collaboration via Greening The West, with great coordination and support from LGA partners: community groups, volunteers and landowners, many participating in multiple community plantings over four years.

The Greening The West One Million Trees project is a shining example of how seemingly ambitious goals can be achieved when local, state and federal governments work collaboratively with passionate community groups.

It has made significant and lasting difference to Melbourne’s west by increasing urban greening and improving the amenity of public open spaces. Canopy shading has reduced heat stress and community cohesion has been strengthened through the active involvement of the residents as well as through public usage of the green facilities.

Time will tell, but the massive scope of Greening The West One Million Trees project is such that it might well have turned the tide on the decreasing local canopy cover. Whilst the canopy cover is decreasing across most of Melbourne, it is today actually increasing in the western suburbs.