FEARS the number of trees lining Hobsons Bay’s parks and streetscapes will dwindle by 30 per cent within 40 years has sparked a plan to keep the municipality green.
Council has adopted a strategy to gradually replace the 75,000 trees in public areas throughout Hobsons Bay.
Councillor Renee Caruana said dying trees would be a “significant problem” in the municipality unless steps were taken to progressively replace them.
“If we don’t act now we will be facing a significant problem with dying trees in a few years time,” Cr Caruana said.
“A period of time is always required to allow a replacement tree to grow so therefore managing the population to avoid a disproportionately large number of trees becoming over mature is important to maintain park amenity.”
The council has set aside $610,000 a year to maintain and replace trees over the next 10 years.
It costs $100 to remove an existing tree and $350 to buy, plant and establish a replacement. tree.
“Throughout the implementation of the program we’re aiming to have a tree planted in 90 per cent of available street landscape space while maintaining our current numbers of parkland trees,” Cr Caruana said.
