Tree cover in Burnside
The release of an RMIT University benchmarking report into national urban vegetation loss, Where Will all the Trees Be?, indicates that although there is an increase in tree and shrub cover across metropolitan Adelaide, South Australian councils are losing their urban vegetation at the highest rate due to development.
Despite the extensive investment in our urban forest (on public land), the battle is still hard fought in Burnside.
The greatest loss is from trees on privately owned land - cleared for housing redevelopment, home extensions, sheds and pools. Planning laws have been more facilitative where residents and developers make use of the laws available which, for most part, allow for tree removals.
Council had concerns for the City's tree canopy in 2010, commissioning a Tree Canopy Assessment to benchmark the canopy coverage, identify plantable and non-plantable space, and to provide an Urban Tree Canopy (UTC) measure, (UTC is a scientific measure of the layer of leaves, branches and stems of trees that cover the ground when viewed from above – the level of cover that our trees provide to our community).
Burnside’s UTC had reduced by nearly 10 per cent between 2010 and 2015 and the study identified that there was a greater risk of losing more.
The study evaluated changes in our tree canopy, identifying that nearly 45 per cent of the City was covered with non-plantable surfaces such as buildings and roads. Only 31 per cent of the City was protected by tree canopy. The non-plantable cover had increased by 9.09 per cent, and tree cover decreased by 9.87 per cent. The study attributed this decline to new property development (urban infill).
The RMIT report is consistent with the City of Burnside's findings.
Although the report ranks Burnside as second among comparable councils nationally as having the highest green cover, there has been a 1.8 per cent decrease since 2016, with a 5.2 per cent increase in 'grey cover' (or non-plantable space) in the City since 2016.
The report identifies that Burnside is not necessarily losing green space to new developments, “but more likely to views, swimming pools, tennis courts and patios as existing residences are expanded”. The urge to build larger homes or subdivisions on existing blocks, reduces the available private open space that can accommodate trees and gardens.
There is concern that the new Planning and Design Code will enable significant changes to Burnside's 'character' - the built heritage, residential character, thousands of street and private trees, and lower density housing. This 'character' has seen Burnside become one of the most sought after places to buy property, and consequently current property values reflect this.
Trees are integral to this 'character' and continued education of residents on their value is essential to reduce the number of applications from residents to remove privately owned trees.
Increased protection for trees is also greatly needed. Council is concerned that policy within the new Planning and Design Code will facilitate a greater loss of trees within our Council area, particularly on private land. These concerns will be raised in Council’s submission on the revised draft Code which is required to be lodged with the State Government by 18 December 2020.
As part of the Resilient East group, Council is advocating for trees and canopy cover. For example, the Resilient East submission on the Planning Reforms has a strong focus on trees and Resilient East recently made a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Urban Green Spaces, including an invited in-person representation to the inquiry.
Council supports the outreach and advocacy conducted by Water Sensitive SA, with a strong focus on the State Planning Reforms and the co-benefits of water sensitive design and trees in urban areas.
What about the urban forest?
The City of Burnside devotes considerable resources to the planting and maintenance of trees in streets, reserves and on public land. Work which has led to the Council being recognised as one of only three Australian Tree Cities of the World.
An ongoing initiative that commenced in 2016/17 aims to plant 1,000 trees per annum. This tree planting far exceeds the loss of trees on public land. During the last financial year (2019/20), Council planted over 1,500 trees on public land and provided over 11,000 plants for planting on both public and private land (further details in Council’s Environmental Sustainability Report).
City of Burnside is working with councils across Adelaide to use LiDAR assessments of canopy cover which give more accurate and robust figures that that used for the RMIT report. This data will be used to guide policy development and initiatives to increase canopy coverage (further details in Attachments H and I of Council’s Environmental Sustainability Report).
While the City of Burnside is actively planting trees and increasing canopy coverage on public land, some loss of trees and canopy is beyond the control of the Council. State planning and development laws facilitate the removal of many trees on private land. Council recognises this problem and has several initiatives aimed at reversing the potential for declines in tree canopy and vegetation cover on private land, including:
- Native tree giveaway (specifically designed to get trees in the ground on private land).
- Biodiversity Nursery plant giveaway (an annual event providing indigenous trees and plants to houses in burnside).
- Numerous educational and promotional activities, including (but not limited to) the Urban Forest Interactive website, Burnside Urban Foresters and Conservation Volunteer programs.
Where will all the Trees Be? can be found on the Greener Spaces Better Places website.
