BY ISABEL EVERETT
Hundreds of trees have been planted along local streets as part of Newcastle Council's Living Streets Program to expand the City’s urban forest.
The Council has been capitalising on Autumn rains, digging holes on street verges and reserves for around 500 trees - 40 different
species - across Wallsend, Adamstown and Adamstown Heights ( full list of streets).
Around 1,000 street
trees will be planted this year as part of the City’s commitment to deliver
cleaner air, reduced storm water runoff, habitat for local biodiversity, more
shade and a cooler urban environment.
Lord Mayor
Nuatali Nelmes, who joined City staff to plant trees along Tyrrell Street
Wallsend today, said autumn offered the perfect weather for new plantings and
that today’s work followed a council decision to join a global initiative aimed
at enhancing nature in and around cities.
“While most
community requests for tree plantings come during Summer when we are all
feeling the need for more trees, Summer isn’t the ideal time to plant and
establish trees,” Councillor Nelmes said.
“The
weather conditions are more favorable at this time of year as it’s cooler and
more rain is about."
“We know a five
per cent increase can reduce summer temperatures by one to two degrees, and
that 17 trees will offset the use of one car a year in terms of carbon
emissions."
Council’s
City Greening Services team will complete regular maintenance of the new trees,
among 6,000 recently planted across the local government area, carrying out
mulching, weeding, watering and formative pruning.
The City is
running a series of education activities in conjunction with tree planting,
encouraging children during the COVID-19 lockdown to observe animals that visit
their favourite tree and write a love letter to it.
Ward 4
Councillor Jason Dunn said kids were invited to submit a letter and photo of
the tree to naturalconnection@ncc.nsw.gov.au to
encourage conservatory thinking and see which trees are the most popular across
the local government area.
“We want
kids to take a moment to visit their favourite tree and stop, watch and listen
and then write to us about how many different animals visit the tree, how long
they think it’s been here and what could be lost if it was cut down," Councillor
Dunn said.
“As well as planting trees, we want to educate the next generation about how native and non-native trees support a huge amount of life in urban environments."
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Cr Jason Dunn on Tyrrell Street
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and in Cr Jason Dunn on Tyrrell Street
