Overview
Melbourne's western suburbs are set to get lusher and leafier as we roll through spring, with the Victorian Government announcing it'll spend $5 million on planting new trees across the region. The project will see the west score over 30,000 new plantings, with works kicking off this month.
Under the first phase of the More Trees for a Cooler, Greener West initiative, an assortment of saplings and mature trees will be planted across six local council areas in a bid to create more green canopies and drive down pollution. Spots like Altona's Skeleton Creek Trail, Organ Pipes National Park, Brimbank Park, Maribyrnong Valley Parklands and the City of Hobsons Bay are among those set to score a green infusion.
Maribyrnong River Trail, Visit Victoria
The project will also aim to lessen some of the impacts of climate change by creating cooler outdoor spaces for the west, which has the lowest tree canopy cover in Melbourne. Based on 2018 stats, this metro region had just 5.5 percent canopy cover in its urban areas compared to the 25.9 percent of Melbourne's eastern suburbs. The abundance of leafy newcomers will also help support the state government's targets of halving emissions by 2030, with each tree absorbing harmful greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide as it grows.
For optimal success, most of the new trees will be planted through the current spring season and next autumn. The program's second phase will then begin next year.
The new plantings will complement the government's $154 million Suburban Parks Program announced last May, which is already set to deliver 22 new and upgraded parks for Melbourne's west.
The More Trees for a Cooler, Greener West initiative will commence this spring. For more details on specific planting projects included in the program, see the initiative's website.
Top Image: Maribyrnong Valley Parklands, Parks Victoria