Melbourne Water’s support for a cooler, greener west

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Melbourne Water has joined the State Government’s campaign to create cooler, green spaces in the city’s western suburbs. Our North West Waterways and Catchment Operations crews, pictured left, have put 700 trees into the ground at Cherry Lake in Altona with visions to plant more at various locations across the west in 2022.

It’s all part of the State Government’s $5 million ‘More Trees for a Cooler, Greener West’ initiative, supporting Greening The West, aims to plant 500,000 trees which will provide more shade and green spaces and as a consequence help to drive down pollution, improve air quality and demonstrating climate resilience here in Melbourne’s west.

Research from 2018 showed that the western suburbs had just 5.5 tree cover compared to 17.4 per cent in the inner south-east and 25.9 per cent in the east.

These trees, importantly, will help reduce the urban heat island effect which leads to higher temperatures and lower air quality in those urban communities without enough vegetation.

“Over time, these trees will create better habitat, providing shade and creating a cooler environment for the community.

“This latest round of planting at Cherry Lake complements a project carried out by Melbourne Water staff last year where around 8000 trees and bushes were planted at this community site in Altona.

In 2022 Melbourne Water aiming to plant thousands of trees across Melbourne’s west as part of the State Government’s initiative and support local councils and to complement the Waterways of the West Action Plan.