The City developed its Urban Forest Strategy (UFS) through substantial community engagement and peer review, to help guide, design, manage, grow and improve the urban forest canopy over future decades.

Mayor Margaret Thomas said the Strategy sets a clear direction for the City and the community to follow, ensuring greener neighbourhoods into the future.

“The leafy cover from tree canopy benefits our entire City,” Cr Thomas said. “From purifying air quality, providing homes for birds and animals, and playing a vital role in carbon removal from our environment; to our social, psychological, and recreational wellbeing, the benefits to our community are vast and varied.

“I am thrilled to see the City making good on its promise to protect and enhance the environmental values of our region. From the recently adopted Climate Change Action Plan, through to the City’s new Tree Retention Policy LPP33 and now the Urban Forest Strategy, we are working tirelessly to maintain the integrity of our beautiful and unique natural environment.”

The City released its Draft UFS to the public in March 2023 and received valuable comment and input from the community as well as the Kalamunda Environment and Sustainability Advisory Committee, which was taken onboard with the final design and strategy.

To maintain and enhance the benefits to the community, economy and environment, the City aspires to achieve a target overall urban canopy cover across the City of 30% by 2043. This target aligns with international best practice targets for canopy cover. Broadly, the goals of the UFS are based on the pillars to Protect, Grow, Engage, and Investigate. This provides a holistic and strategic approach to achieving the aspirational target.

For more information, contact the City on 9257 9999, email enquiries@kalamunda.wa.gov.au or visit https://www.kalamunda.wa.gov.au/our-city/environment/urban-forest-strategy