Urban Forest Strategy 2016-2046

Our plan is to increase Brimbank’s tree canopy coverage from 6.2 per cent to 30 per cent over the next 30 years in its Urban Forest Strategy 2016-2046. The Urban Forest Strategy will ultimately be used to guide the future greening of Brimbank. The strategy proposes to: Increase canopy cover in Brimbank to 30 per cent to reduce urban heat island effects Maximise carbon sequestration through green infrastructure Protect existing trees through planning and enforcement Decrease the amount of impervious surfaces to reduce urban heat island effects Integrate grasslands with open space Improve water quality through the use of water sensitive urban design Encourage trees to be planted on private property and Create understanding and positive community attitudes towards the Brimbank Urban Forest. This strategy sets a strategic framework for planting trees on streets, urban parks, along waterways and to encourage planting in private open space. It aims is to deliver positive health, social, economic and environmental outcomes for the Brimbank community. The Brimbank landscape has, over time, transformed from a grassland landscape, into an urbanised landscape, with a mixture of traditional suburban typologies, commercial and industrial precincts and increasing urban densification. This has created the need for a contemporary landscape response to improve the liveability of Brimbank. There is a growing body of evidence that an Urban Forest can deliver numerous community and health benefits which will be explored throughout this strategy. This strategy has been developed in line with the Greening The West Strategic Plan, 2013, which promotes a regional approach to greening particularly through the planting of trees. The Urban Forest Strategy interacts with other Council strategies that seek to improve liveability and work with the natural environment in Brimbank,