Melbourne’s coordinated approach to streetscape projects to double canopy

​Melbourne, Australia

​Melbourne is aiming to double public realm canopy cover from 22.5% (2011 baseline) to 40% by 2040. To achieve this goal set in Melbourne’s Urban Forest Strategy (2012), the council’s urban landscape department, which leads strategic planning, management and capital investment for the city’s public open spaces (including parks, gardens and the “urban forest”), conducted a comprehensive survey of Melbourne’s street trees. The survey looked at species, size and condition to assess the safe useful life expectancy of each tree. This database was then used to model how the canopy would evolve under different circumstances, including a “do nothing” scenario. The modelling showed that reaching the 40% canopy cover target would require planting an average of 3,000 trees a year over the next decade. The modelling did not focus exclusively on tree numbers but also considered how the tree planting conditions would affect canopy size. 

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