Greater Shepparton City Council commences annual street tree planting

Aligned with their Urban Forest Strategy and Street Tree Renewal program, Greater Shepparton City Council has commenced annual tree planting to increase green canopy cover in public urban areas to 40% by 2037.

This year approximately 1200 advanced trees are being planted in nature strips between June and September with 5420 trees planted in Shepparton, Mooroopna, Tatura, Dookie, Murchison, Kialla and Toolamba since the strategy was adopted in 2017.

The trees are specially grown and selected to suit our local climate. Some are chosen specifically for planting under power lines so they do not cause maintenance issues when they are full grown.

Council undertakes extensive monitoring of new trees for the first two years with watering and maintenance by which stage they are usually well-established, however residents are encouraged to water trees if needed, particularly in the summer months.

Council’s Director Infrastructure Gary Randhawa said the trees provide significant economic, social, environmental, ecological and aesthetic benefits to our communities.

Randhawa advises “In addition the health benefits associated with making our streets a more appealing and enjoyable place to be, increasing the green canopy is one of the most cost effective and efficient public assets for adapting urban areas to climate change.”

For more information on the Urban Forest Strategy visit: www.greatershepparton.com.au/council/major-projects/urban-forest-strategy