Urban Forest Strategy 2017-2022

The urban forest is facing a range of pressures, principally from housing development and increasing urban densification. It is estimated that in excess of 1,000 established trees are being removed from private land within the City of Stonnington every year. The rapid loss of trees on private land places an increasing importance on growing the urban forest in the public realm. This includes both protecting established trees as well as planting new trees. New and innovative approaches are needed to grow larger trees in areas that present significant physical constraints to tree growth, such as the dense residential and commercial areas in the western end of the municipality. Through the City’s annual tree planting programs, there is a net increase in tree stock on public land every year. Encouraging and requiring the protection, replacement and planting of trees on private land is also essential to ensure the stability and success of the urban forest. The Urban Forest Strategy has been developed to help enable the protection and enhancement of the urban forest in the face of the many challenges that affect urban trees. The Strategy provides clear direction for Council and the community on tree management in both the public and private realm.