• Air Quality
• Biodiversity & Bushcare
• Environmental Health
• Pollution on Building Sites
• Resource Recovery & Waste Management
• Schools and Sustainability
• Strategy & Reporting
• Transport
• Trees
  • Arborist Report for Forest Red Gum at Birchgrove Park
  • Cyclic Tree Maintenance
  • Street Trees
  • Tree Preservation Order
  • Tree Removal Notices
  • Urban Forest Policy
• Water
• Weeds
• Energy
• Sustainability News
• Footprints Film Festival
• Adopt A Verge

 Print this page

// Home // Environment and Sustainability // Trees // Urban Forest Policy

Urban Forest Policy

In June 2007 Leichhardt Council adopted the Urban Forest Policy. This policy will be used to enhance the treescape of Leichhardt and will form the basis for tree management into the future.

The Urban Forest is defined as the totality of trees and shrubs on all public and private land in and around urban areas (including bushland, parkland, gardens and street trees) and is measured as a canopy cover percentage of the total area, and is recognised as a primary component of the urban ecosystem

Goal –What we want to achieve

Leichhardt’s Urban Forest contributing towards reducing the impacts of climate change and creating a sustainable environment through the protection, restoration and enhancement of our natural environment and native biodiversity including the urban landscape.

Policy Objectives – Tasks to achieve the goal

The following policy objectives describe what we want to achieve in relation to the Urban Forest in the Leichhardt Local Government Area:

1. Increase the health and extent of the canopy or vegetation cover of the Local Government Area to provide environmental and social benefits.
2. Address climate change locally by increasing the canopy and vegetation to capture carbon, provide shade to reduce ambient temperatures and reduce solar ultraviolet radiation exposure, reduce the impacts of storm water runoff and improve air quality.
3. Increase the habitat provided by the trees and vegetation in our streets, parks, private gardens and urban forest for the wildlife that now exists in an Inner City context.
4. Improve the connectedness of habitat fragments across the Local Government Area by creating wildlife corridors between them.
5. Enable the community to value, nurture and protect trees, vegetation and wildlife in their gardens, streets and public spaces.
6. Provide trees and plantings that beautify and enhance the streetscapes and that are appropriate to the location.
7. Ensure the community is aware and educated about trees and vegetation and involved in decision making about this issue in their area.
8. Deliver effective management approaches and programs based on sustainability principles so that optimal benefits are delivered at acceptable costs.

 Urban Forest Policy (23.29kB)