Urban Forest Strategy
Invitation to Comment on the Draft City of Kwinana Urban Forest Strategy 2024 - 2044
The City of Kwinana Draft Urban Forest Strategy was adopted by Council for public consultation on the 11th of December 2024. The Boola Maara Aboriginal Consultative Committee were engaged to review and provided comment on the Draft Urban Forest Strategy at their December 2nd 2024 meeting. The Community is now invited to comment on the Draft Strategy over a four week consultation period.
What is an Urban Forest
Urban forests can be defined as all vegetation growing within the urban environment. This consists of two categories: the understory, such as shrubs and hedges up to 3m, and the tree canopy, which is any vegetation above 3m.
(Better Urban Forest Planning, WA Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, 2018).
Purpose of the Urban Forest Strategy
The City of Kwinana’s Draft Urban Forest Strategy 2024–2044 outlines a comprehensive, long-term plan to expand, manage, and protect the urban forest on both public and private land. This strategy aims to enhance livability, mitigate climate change, and provide social, environmental, and economic benefits for the community through strategic management of urban trees and green spaces.
The Strategy's vision is to create an urban forest canopy that is evenly distributed for the benefit of everyone and manage it to remain a sustainable and resilient asset for our communities.
The urban forest strategy will:
- Guide the protection, management and growth of Kwinana's urban forest
- Set data driven goals and targets
- Provide clear direction to achieve targets and goals through actions.
Current Canopy Cover and Our Vision for the Future
The City’s current canopy cover is 19.8%, which places us in a strong position compared to the Perth metropolitan average of 16%. However, certain areas have significantly lower tree canopy coverage, and urban growth and climate change pressures present major challenges in maintaining and expanding the urban forest.
The Draft Urban Forest Strategy considers ambitious, yet achievable 20-year canopy cover targets aimed at increasing coverage to mitigate the urban heat island effect and enhance environmental resilience. The targets are based on different land-use zones and represent the best-case scenario considering geographical location and available funding. The targets for the future urban forest are:
• Residential areas: Increase from 14.7% to 18.3%
• Industrial areas: Increase from 6.6% to 9%
• Public open space: Increase from 24% to 30%
• Overall canopy cover: Increase from 19.8% to 22.6%.
Achieving these targets requires planting thousands of new trees.
Benefits of an Urban Forest
How much will it cost?
The Draft Urban Forest Strategy provides detailed financial projections for tree planting, maintenance, and canopy management. Over the 20-year period, the City will need to invest strategically to ensure the success of the urban forest, with funds allocated for tree planting, community engagement, and monitoring technologies. A comprehensive education, engagement and communications plan has been developed as part of the Strategic Community Plan to seek community feedback in achieving these goals
The Strategy is set to begin implementation in the 2026/2027 budget, with an initial allocation of $250,000, followed by annual increases. The pace of investment will depend on the community’s preferred timeline for achieving the targets. At a slower rate, approximately 50% of the target tree plantings will be completed within 20 years. Alternatively, a faster approach can be taken to achieve the full planting target within the same timeframe. Full canopy coverage is expected to be reached 10 years after planting.
Are there any ongoing costs?
Yes – however, these costs are factored into the annual increase required to deliver the strategy.
Is this a community priority?
Yes! The intent of the Draft Urban Forest Strategy is part of the communities desire for improved streetscapes, parks and natural areas that reflect the importance of tree conservation and good environmental management. The Strategic Community Plan has shown that playgrounds, parks and reserves are within the top six community priorities.
Your Feedback
Engaging the community in the Draft Urban Forest Strategy is essential to making sure our residents play a key role in shaping the look, feel, and future development of our City for generations to come.
