Perth, known for its stunning landscapes, faces a significant challenge in enhancing its tree canopy, the lowest among all Australian capital cities. The government of Western Australia (WA) has made a bold move. Their goal is to increase the city’s tree canopy cover to 30% by 2040. Recent intelligence developments have thrown into question whether this goal is realistic. Critics were upset with the methodology used to calculate the current canopy and the overall inability to move policy quickly.
John Carey, the Minister for Planning and Lands, even conceded that previous estimates of Perth’s tree canopy were inaccurate. In doing so, they neglected the rural communities, which dramatically changed the findings. We suspect this oversight has inflated perceived progress toward the canopy target. Today, Perth has an impressive 22% tree canopy. The city plans to increase this number by 8% in the next sixteen years.
Government Initiatives and Strategies
The WA government is currently working on a statewide plan to remedy the city’s tree deficit. Carey declared his ambition to have the Perth and Peel Urban Greening Strategy released by the end of 2024. This all-inclusive creative project has been in the works since the beginning of this year. He especially highlighted the need for community engagement in these efforts.
“We’ve got to take the community with us because we can put in any or all these [punitive] policies, but nothing stops a person just ripping out a tree any time — and then it’s done,” – John Carey
To help bring that commitment to life, the government has introduced the Urban Greening Strategy. In addition to requiring deep soil zones, they are providing incentives to retain trees. These Tree Resilience initiatives seek to strengthen the overall environment for trees to grow healthy, thrive, and persist.
Community Involvement and Challenges
A major portion of the federal government’s plan hinges on community outreach. The innovative “tree-bate” program moves the focus from city planting to resident planting with monetary or in-kind incentives provided to as many as 10,000 households per year. As of today, about 3,500 people have joined this platform-building effort. Experts caution that there is much more that the administration needs to do to fulfill the federal government’s lofty canopy targets.
Paul Barber, Managing Director at ArborCarbon environmental consulting firm said it was misguided to think tree planting alone would do the trick. He emphasized that the goal of 30% cover is impossible to achieve through planting alone.
“We’ll never be able to get to the 30 per cent target by 2040 just by planting trees,” – Paul Barber
Barber further criticized the current planning and budgeting strategies in place, stating, “If we continue to do what we are doing… we just won’t get there.”
Local Government Response
Local governments are taking the lead, even as worries grow about state government interference. Karen Chappel, President of WALGA, explained her disappointment. She believes the state level has fallen short. She emphasized that if cities wanted real change, their local governments needed to lead the way on urban greening projects.
“With the state government missing in action on this, local governments have to step in,” – Karen Chappel
Meanwhile, Brad Pettitt, leader of the WA Greens, argued for a balanced approach that does not compromise housing development for tree protection. He cautioned that if action is not taken soon, Perth is on the way to being a city with no sustainable housing and little urban forest.
“There is a real risk that this government’s legacy is going to be a bunch of unliveable, tree-less, hot housing in the wrong locations,” – Brad Pettitt
With regard to Perth’s tree canopy, this story demonstrates the complicated balancing act constantly played by urban planners, policy makers and environmental advocates. As the state government pushes forward with its Urban Greening Strategy and community initiatives like the “tree-bate,” experts urge a more comprehensive approach that includes effective protections for existing trees.
