Urban Forest Strategic Plan

Banyule City Council faces a set of key issues that influence its planning and policy direction. Population growth, climate change, decreasing biodiversity, rising costs of resources and the need for good environmental stewardship all underpin Council’s decision making and policy setting. With these in mind, Council recognises the importance of our living landscapes in providing basic ecosystem services such as clean air, clean water, shelter and habitat; and acknowledges the positive impact that our urban trees, parks and bushland reserves provide to the community. Banyule’s future landscapes will be shaped by Council’s decisions today, just as current decisions are shaped by those previously made. As population and
community aspirations change, decisions will need to address various needs and ensure that all trees large and small, old and young can provide the greatest possible benefits: environmental, social and economic. Today there is more importance than in our short history to ensure our trees, parks and reserves are planned for and managed in a holistic, proactive and innovative manner that sees local community stewardship grow in each suburb. Council can then be seen as an innovative leader in the management of the urban treed landscape. Council has in place some important policies and planning scheme controls to protect certain elements of Banyule’s urban forest. To ensure that Banyule maintains and improves its urban forest, a strategic vision is required. It will provide a foundation for Council to prepare an Urban Forest Management Plan and a Street Tree Master Plan to ensure that planning and management today contributes to the longevity and health of Banyule’s future urban forest. These documents propose to be forward thinking and span timeframes that mirror the growing life of trees. These documents set the tone for council
and the community alike to understand the values and importance of Banyule’s urban forest and operate in a manner that ensures we plan, protect and enhance it for future generations. The five key strategic objectives of this plan support current priorities identified within the City Plan and our Environmental Sustainability Policy and Strategy. These documents identify key objectives of People, Planet, Place, Participation and Performance.