Trees and development in Baw Baw

 Urban tree canopy provides many social, economic, health and environmental benefits:

·       Trees in urban situations can increase property values dramatically

·       The health of the population is superior in treed suburbs and towns

·       Urban trees tend to calm traffic and make the roads safer

·       Trees help keep the ambient temperatures down and lower energy costs

·       Trees sequester carbon, reduce runoff, absorb pollutants, hide ugly structures, mitigate strong winds, provide habitat for wildlife, bind the soil, lower road maintenance costs and more.

Tree canopy in Baw Baw is declining. Developments in our major towns invariably involve the loss of trees and other valuable vegetation on both public and private land.

Main South Rd - Many trees were marked for retention - now gone!

Our shire badly needs strong local laws and protection overlays that promote and facilitate the preservation of significant vegetation. Site planning that maximises the retention of trees within developments and adjoining areas is not difficult and should be a major consideration in all sub-divisions.

The retention of significant vegetation should be a required condition of development planning. Many shires have conditions for the retention or planting of significant trees even for non-residential developments such as car parks, industrial sites and commercial developments. This isn’t new, it’s being done on our doorstep. Baw Baw needs to catch up.

If trees had a monetary value and were included as assets for the shire, policies and guidelines for their retention would become essential. Many local government authourities apply a formula to determine the value of their trees. There are many such formulas available.

Typical Drouin estate with some yards barely large enough for a shrub let alone a small tree

 

Urban vegetation, trees in particular, provide enormous value to society. It is time Baw Baw’s trees were given greater respect.

 

Some further reading:

     City of Boroondara (Tree Protection Local Law)

     LINK: https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2017-05/Tree-Protection-                        Local-Law.pdf

“Council also acknowledges that trees in the urban environment have a series of environmental benefits such as reducing the impact of the urban heat island effect, reducing the effects of climate change, reducing temperatures in and around buildings, reducing stormwater runoff, absorbing pollution, providing habitat and promoting biodiversity.”

     Greening the West (A planning strategy for Melbourne’s western suburbs)

LINK; https://greeningthewest.org.au/         

“Urban greening in the west is a low-cost strategy that will bring high impact results – environmentally, economically and crucially, for the health and wellbeing of the residents who live there.”

     Trees and Development (City of Stirling WA – trees policy to be adopted during                 development)

             LINK: https://www.stirling.wa.gov.au/waste-and-environment/trees/trees-and-                                development

“A majority of the canopy loss occurring is the result of development on private land. To reduce these losses and increase the planting of new trees to replace what is being lost, a number of requirements have been introduced to ensure that trees are considered during development.”

     Greener Spaces Better Places (Horticulture Innovation Australia – making urban spaces         greener)

             LINK: https://www.greenerspacesbetterplaces.com.au/

“Greener spaces make urban places better. They create places that are more appealing to work, play and relax in and help us feel a sense of place and community within our busy lives.”