30/09/2023
💚🌳I have been contacted by Cambridge Tree Canopy Advocates and provide the following response to their questions🌳💚
I am a member of WATCA - WA Tree Canopy Advocates, member of Friends of Perry Lakes Friends of Bold Park Bushland Inc and support the Friends of Mt Claremont Fields I have followed in awe the incredible advocacy journey of Nedlands Tree Canopy Advocates and WATCA and would like to extend my gratitude to Klara (Admin) of Cambridge Tree Canopy Advocates
I was elected to council 12 months ago and in this short time I have pushed for increased tree canopy policy in the Town of Cambridge, I am extremely proud of the following significant steps forward:
🌳 Accelerated Urban Forest Planting Notice of Motion Georgie RANDKLEV (March 2023)
👉include an allocation of $400,000 for consideration as part of the 2023-24 Draft Budget to purchase an additional 1000 trees to enact an accelerated street and park tree planting program;
👉include an allocation of $4,000 for consideration as part of the 2023-24 Draft Budget for 1000 endemic tree species seedlings per year for the planting season in addition to the specified allocation for Parks for the next five years;
👉report on amending the Preferred Street Tree Species List in the Street Tree Masterplan to exclude species that host the breeding cycle of the polyphagous shot-hole borer with species preferably known to provide black cockatoo food source are to be planted in the Town of Cambridge verges each year for the next five years starting in the 2023-24 planting season;
👉report monthly in the Elected Member Bulletin with photographic evidence and justification for the removal of all public trees; and
👉Prepare a report on the review of Policy No: 100 – Tree Protection during development to increase the likelihood of tree survival during construction.
🌳Review of Tree Protection due to Development Georgie RANDKLEV (May 2023) Notice of Motion Accelerated Urban Forest Planting (March 2023)
👉Increased tree protection and employment of a Tree Compliance Officer
🌳Scheme Amendment and Draft Local Planning Policy 3.25 💚Trees on Private Land – Preparation for Advertising proactive in administration briefings in regards to the Towns tree scheme amendment and amended motion to delete Australian Standards to INCLUDE more rigorous controls 🌳🌳💚
🌳Review of Policy 98 and 99 requested the Administration to TIGHTEN the street tree removal policy after a tree removal in Donegal Rd Floreat highlighted a failing in the policy– a two week turn around in policy which now includes the CEO sign off✏️🙌
👉🌳Our trees are invaluable and essential community assets. I encourage all Advocates to write to Planning Minister John Carey [email protected] in support of the Nedlands SA12. I truly believe we need the State Government to follow suit from our eastern state counterparts and implement tree protection.
💚🌳I encourage all advocates to VOTE for candidates who have a demonstrated proven track record of advocating for the protection of trees, I still have work to do, so I would be most grateful for your support 🙏🌳💚
Questions
1. Do you agree to Town of Cambridge setting a target for tree canopy within the Town of Cambridge? Yes or No?
💯Yes 💚🌳
2. Are you committed to endorsing the Western Australian Local Government Association target of 30 % Tree Canopy Cover by 2040? Yes or No?
💯 Yes🌳💚
3. Your prospective colleagues in the City of Nedlands have already implemented compulsory verge tree. Our neighbours in the Cities of South Perth and East Fremantle are well on the way to having verge trees for all properties. Will you support a motion to commit Town of Cambridge to implementing compulsory verge trees for all residential and commercial properties? Yes or No?
💯Yes 🌳💚
The new 🌳Trees Compliance Officer🌳 as highlighted above will be able to ensure the policy is enacted which is a really important part of having a policy
We need to ramp up tree planting to offset the significant tree canopy loss now being experienced within the greater Perth metropolitan area due to pressure from increased population and density. We need to increase funding for planting trees in streets and parks for the benefit of future generations. Our tree canopy cover is 18.6% (2022)👎
💚🌳Road reserves and Parks represent a significant portion of Town managed land, with approximately 634.1 ha or 32% . The Town contains approx. 14000 street trees which provide shade for roads, verges, driveways and footpaths.
🌳💚The Towns street tree planting program aims to increase tree canopy cover. Our winter tree planting program will kick off in May/June 2024 , the Town will be planting 1600 40L Street Trees in 2024 plus an additional 1000 tube stock trees per annum for the next five years.
Cambridge has seen an increase of 0.2% between 2020 and 2022 I think we can do better to increase and protect our Towns urban forest and I would like the opportunity to finish the work I have started 🌳💚
4. If Yes, will you commit the council to have all verge tees in place by 2030? Yes or No?
💯🌳Yes
IMAGE: Street trees of Cambridge and Accelerated Urban Forest Planting Motion
