Page 1356 - Week 05 - Thursday, 18 June 2020
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Omit all text after “That this Assembly”, substitute:
“(1) notes:
(a) growing a healthy and resilient urban forest that can withstand a changing climate means consideration must be given not only to planting more trees, but looking after our existing trees, ensuring a diverse range of tree species, choosing the right planting locations, caring for trees after they are planted, and removing and replacing trees reaching the end of their life;
(b) the Government has committed to achieving a 30 percent canopy cover target in our urban areas by 2045 as set out in the Climate Change Strategy and Living Infrastructure Plan;
(c) achieving this target will require a net increase of at least 450 000 ACT Government street and park trees, as well as planting tens of thousands of replacement trees for existing trees lost due to old age and the effects of climate change;
(d) the target cannot be achieved through tree planting on government land alone, and will require the protection and replacement of existing trees on private land. This will require significant legislative and planning reform; and
(e) the Government will soon release a draft urban forest strategy that will set out a framework for managing our urban forest over the next 25 years;
(2) acknowledges that:
(a) the Government is currently undertaking the largest planting of urban trees this century, with close to 25 000 trees to be planted on urban land over the next three years, with over 4000 already planted in Autumn 2020;
(b) this investment is expected to cost between $350 and $400 per tree, including:
(i) the cost of purchasing a tree that is ready to be planted;
(ii) choosing an appropriate location where the tree will be able to grow, investigating the site, including checking for underground services, preparing the site for planting and mulching afterwards if required;
(iii) planting the tree, including labour costs, machinery if required and personal protective equipment;
(iv) purchasing stakes and guards to protect juvenile trees;
(v) ongoing maintenance and watering of the tree for the first five years after planting; and
(vi) consultation and communication with the surrounding community when a tree is planted; and
(c) Parkcare, Landcare and Catchment Groups play a key role in volunteer activity planting out trees and vegetation in our nature reserves, rural area and riparian areas;
(3) further notes that:
(a) environmental conservation requires more than tree plantings, needing a range of activities to protect and enhance woodlands and grasslands;
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