Page 4358 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 25 October 2017

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(c) the importance of trees and other “living infrastructure” for managing the heat island effect is recognised in the ACT Climate Change Adaptation Strategy;

(d) in many suburbs, trees are an important part of the landscape and are one of the things that locals love about their neighbourhood; and

(e) international research has shown that urban trees have measurable economic value in addition to their environmental value—for example, trees increase property values and lower summer cooling costs;

(2) further notes that:

(a) many newer suburbs will never have the same canopy cover and experience the same benefits of trees as older suburbs because narrow streets do not have enough room for large canopy trees and new houses fill a very high proportion of the block, leaving inadequate private open space for large trees;

(b) many older suburbs are losing canopy cover through redevelopment, as both multi-unit developments and McMansions replace small existing dwellings, with the loss of almost all existing vegetation;

(c) many Australian cities, including the City of Sydney and the City of Melbourne, are improving the way they manage urban trees—for example, by setting canopy cover targets and improving asset management practices;

(d) in 2011, the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment reviewed the Government’s tree management practices, making extensive recommendations, many of which are still relevant; and

(e) the National Capital Authority’s Deakin/Forrest Residential Precinct Issues and Policy Paper has recommended an innovative new approach to planning for redevelopment, with inclusion of a canopy coverage target and mandating of a “planting area” not to be covered by buildings and driveways;

(3) further notes that, as announced in the ACT Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, the ACT Government will deliver a Living Infrastructure Plan by the end of 2018, which will include targets for urban tree canopy cover; and

(4) calls on the ACT Government to protect and increase Canberra’s tree canopy by:

(a) within one year of this motion being passed:

(i) commencing joint reviews of the Territory Plan and Transport Canberra and City Services’ (TCCS) infrastructure design standards to ensure that new subdivisions and urban renewal precincts can achieve the tree canopy targets;

(ii) commencing a review of the Tree Protection Act and the possible introduction of a Tree Curator, to support the delivery of the tree canopy cover targets; and

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