A pop-up urban forest was held in Elizabeth Street Mall over two days in November to help drive awareness of the importance of planting more trees in Hobart.
A free tree was given away to people who were able to participate in a survey on trees in Hobart. The results from the survey will help to inform the development of a new urban tree strategy for Hobart, due out for public consultation next year.
City of Hobart arborists were also on hand with advice about how to properly plant and care for young trees to ensure their success.
The activation was a way to encourage more people to grow trees on their property and is one of the City’s goals to help grow Hobart’s urban tree canopy cover to 40 per cent by 2046.
With 89 per cent of actions in the 2017 City of Hobart Street Tree Strategy now complete or ongoing, the 5-minute survey is important way to reach out to the community to help develop the important directions for the new strategy.
340 trees were given away during the activation, which is provides an incredible and immediate boost to the City’s goal of increasing our urban canopy in our suburbs and surrounds.
The trees were all native to Tasmania and included dogwood, hopbush, manuka, woolly teatree, lemon bottlebrush, blackwood, white peppermint and black she-oak.
“While Hobart is surrounded by beautiful forests our city and urban areas are not doing so well, and some of our suburbs are even losing trees,” said Ruby Wolfe, City Greening Lead from the City of Hobart.
“A strong and healthy urban tree canopy is essential for a healthy and resilient city. Urban trees, whether planted on our streets, in people’s gardens or in our parks improve air quality and reduce flooding. Urban trees are also becoming increasingly important as shade providers and to help fend off hotter temperatures in the city and our suburbs as the climate warms,” she said.
To have your say on the Hobart Urban Tree Strategy please visit the Your Say Hobart website.
