Urban forest
Our urban forest is made up of all the trees and shrubs across the Inner West Local Government Area. These are in our parks, streets, bushland, schools, businesses and on private property.
The management of the urban forest in a highly modified urban environment requires a balanced approach, to ensure that all essential aspects of urban living and urban forest benefits are maintained.
There are many challenges given the limitation and competition for space in urbanised areas. It is important to use all available options to mitigate climate change and urban heat island effects. Trees are part of the overall urban greening solution that contribute to the liveability of the Inner West.
Urban Forest Policy and Strategic Action Plan
Inner West Council's Urban Forest Policy provides the framework for delivering a sustainable and intergenerational urban forest.
The Urban Forest Strategic Action Plan is to be read and used in conjunction with the Urban Forest Policy. This action plan provides a holistic approach to delivering the Urban Forest Policy aims and objectives.
Canopy targets
The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has set an aspirational tree canopy target of by 40% across the whole of Greater Sydney's by 2030. The Inner West's overall canopy cover is currently growing slowly with a 1% increase from 2019 to 2022 to 18.65%.
It is worth noting, that the 1000 trees planted each year on public land will take some time to show up on the NSW Government seed data. Council is looking to practical design options to increase the canopy returns from each planting. Natural events can cause a sudden loss in trees that affect canopy targets in the short term.
The urban density of the Inner West means that space is limited, and planting in any space must consider all above and below ground spatial elements. Council is implementing design options where practical to increase the canopy returns from each planting.
The Inner West Council has set an achievable overall canopy target of 25%. We encourage all residents to plant an appropriately sized tree on their land and together we can continue to add to the liveability of the Inner West.
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Benefits of trees
Trees are an important urban asset providing many benefits: economic, environmental and social.
Economic benefits
Reducing energy costs
Restoring our natural systems is often more cost-effective than technological substitutes or building new infrastructure. Major economic benefits come through shading buildings in summer, reducing the need for air conditioning and, in turn, cutting energy costs.
Increasing property values
Trees in streets enhance neighbourhood aesthetics and consequently are proven to increase property values. It is estimated that properties in tree-lined streets are valued around 30% higher than those in streets without trees.
Avoiding costs of infrastructure damage and renewal
Urban forests that provide significant canopy coverage improve the lifespan of certain assets, such as asphalt, by shading them from harmful rays and prolonging their lifespan.
Decreasing health costs
Research suggests that a healthy green city helps alleviate the burden on national health systems. While it is difficult to create a direct link and quantify dollar savings, it is likely that urban forests reduce health costs associated with sedentary behaviour, obesity, and mental illness.
Nature boosts business
Research has shown that nature can boost the viability of businesses by drawing shoppers into business districts and encouraging them to spend more: US research found that customers prefer shopping in well-tended streets with large trees. The study also found they would pay 9–12% more for goods sold in central business districts with high quality tree canopy, and would travel further.
Environmental benefits
Providing shade and cooling our cities
Established research confirms that the addition of trees and vegetation in the built environment is one of the most effective ways for mitigating the Urban Heat Island effect. Through the natural process of transpiration, trees help reduce day and night time temperatures in cities, especially during summer. Trees provide shade for streets and footpaths and their leaves reflect and absorb sunlight, minimising the heat absorbed by the built environment during the day.
Reducing stormwater flows and nutrient loads
Tree canopies and root systems reduce stormwater flows and nutrient loads that end up in our waterways. Broad tree canopies intercept and mitigate the impact of heavy rainfalls and healthy tree roots help reduce the nitrogen, phosphorus and heavy metal content in stormwater.
Reducing air pollution and airborne particulates
The role of urban vegetation is equally vital in ameliorating air pollution and greenhouse gases. Through the process of photosynthesis, trees take up carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone from the atmosphere. They also provide habitat and enhance levels of biodiversity. Urban forests around the world have been shown to support a wide range of species, even endangered animals and other biological species of high conservation value.
Storing and sequestering carbon
During photosynthesis, trees convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen and store carbon within their biomass. Consequently urban trees make an impact in absorbing carbon from the atmosphere.
Social benefits
Providing a sense of place and creation of local identity
A city's landscape helps define its character in much the same way as architecture or urban design because trees and other vegetation physically define a place. Landscapes are the setting for many everyday recreational opportunities such as organised sport, walking the dog or having a picnic and ultimately help forge a sense of connection to place.
Improving community cohesion
Urban forests and green open space provide the place for major events, festivals and celebrations throughout the city. Events and spaces can bring diverse groups of people together through the provision of a public realm that is available for everyone to enjoy. Green spaces especially play an important role in the integration of minority groups and can assist in the adaptation process of immigrants into their host country.
Encouraging outdoor activity
Well-treed parks, gardens and streets encourage the use of open spaces, which have multiple flow-on health benefits such as reduction in obesity and improvement in general physical and mental wellbeing. In an era where lifestyle-related illnesses are prevalent and 61% of Australian adults are overweight or obese, (obesity costs Australia's healthcare industry $58 billion in 2008) prevention methods are usually more effective than cures.
Reconnecting children with nature
Studies have shown that green spaces provide therapy to children, allow creativity of mind, encourage exploration and adventure, promote physical activity, build resilience and enhance experiential learnings.
Reducing people's exposure to sun
Skin cancer and other sun exposure illnesses highlight the importance of protection from sunlight's UV rays. Shade alone can reduce overall exposure to UV radiation by up to 75%. Our urban forest provides the best form of natural shade, with broad canopied street and park trees the most effective.
Reducing heat-related illnesses
From a public health perspective, the shade provided by large canopied trees during hot summer days helps reduce localised daytime temperatures by up to two degrees Celsius. In major cities on days over 30 degrees Celsius, the risk of heat-related morbidity and mortality for people over 64 years of age and other vulnerable people (the young, and those with pre-existing illnesses) increases significantly. Evidence suggests that buildings with little or no surrounding vegetation are at higher risk of heat-related morbidity.
Improving mental wellbeing
The availability of, access to, and even the ability to view green spaces and trees has positive effects on people's well being. Many studies have explored the relationships between the amount of green in the landscape and associated levels of well being or depression. In the Netherlands, disease rates, including mental disease, were shown to be of a lower prevalence in areas with higher percentages of green spaces within a 1km radius than those with lower percentages.