Page 1351 - Week 05 - Thursday, 18 June 2020
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government will do little more than replace those that have died or will need to be removed because of that neglect and stress caused by this government.
In my own electorate, trees down Melbourne Avenue are under pressure and new trees that have been planted to replace the old, distressed eucalypts already have borer. Close to the Assembly, we have half-dead trees in the car park opposite Baileys Arcade. Elsewhere in the city, we have vacant holes where trees once were and, under powerlines, trees that have been so butchered that they, too, soon will give up. In Watson there are several trees outside Majura Primary School that have been dead for quite some time. At Deakin shops there are stressed oaks that have only recently been given water.
So what can be done? The short answer is: lots. In fact, one million lots. The Canberra Liberals firmly believe there is plenty that can be done, and under a Canberra Liberals government it will be done. We believe trees are one of the most cost-effective responses to our changing climate. They are a cost-effective alternative to heat islands and concrete jungles in the city’s increasing densification. A Macquarie University study on Adelaide’s last summer record temperatures found that trees and vegetation can lower local land temperatures by up to five or six degrees on days of heat. Their research suggests that a simple solution to extreme heat is literally at everyone’s doorstep. It relies on the trees, the grass and the vegetation in our own backyards.
The Institute of Architects, in their submission to the committee inquiry, highlighted the work of AECOM, the world’s premier infrastructure firm. AECOM found that an increase in canopy from 20 to 28 per cent results in a four-degree lower air temperature and a 14-degree lower surface temperature. Even irrigated grass surfaces can reduce surface temperature by 24 degrees, and planting vegetation for shade can reduce a building’s cooling energy consumption by up to 25 per cent annually.
A recent CSIRO report, Mapping surface urban heat in Canberra, is also optimistic about how mature vegetation and water bodies can moderate temperatures in urban environments. CSIRO says that by increasing the deciduous vegetation coverage across Canberra the city can be cooled in summer, whilst allowing the city to be warmed through our cold winter months. As the research has shown, the way to make our cities more livable is as simple as increasing the amount of greenery. Urban trees in particular can significantly decrease land surface temperatures across entire suburbs and cities.
Griffith University urban and environmental planner Tony Matthews says:
We know a tried and tested strategy is the introduction of more trees and green roofs in urban spaces, reducing surface temperatures by up to 40 per cent.
Naysayers on the other side of the chamber have scoffed at our proposal. I suspect that it is out of frustration because it shows that their efforts, despite their being in government for almost 20 years, are seriously lacking in genuine impact and effect. I know that we have great support for our policy announcement. And we will engage with local community groups like the ISCCC, who we know value trees as an important part of the Canberra landscape and are dismayed at the current state of play,
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