Urban Greening Grants
The Tasmanian Government is supporting seven urban greening projects through the Urban Greening Grants program.
A total of $225,184 has been allocated through this grants program.
The program offered grants of between $5,000 and $40,000 to Tasmanian councils and recognised natural resource management organisations to plant climate tolerant trees in urban environments to increase carbon storage and build resilience to climate change.
Under the changing climate, Tasmania is expected to experience an increase in annual temperatures, and more hot days and heatwaves. Increasing green areas in our urban environments can create more sustainable, comfortable and liveable communities, especially during high temperatures.
Successful projects
Organisation name | Project title | Project description | Local Government Area | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Brighton Council | Tackling urban heat in Brighton | Planting climate resilient native species to reduce urban heat in residential areas of Brighton. | Brighton | $25,000 |
Central Coast Council | Roots for Resilience | Revegetation of Highfield Crescent and augmentation of existing planting at Tower Place in West Ulverstone. | Central Coast | $38,940 |
City of Launceston | Mowbray Shopping Precinct Pilot Project | Planting climate resilient canopy trees and garden beds in an exposed area of Mowbray shopping precinct. | Launceston | $39,237 |
Devonport City Council | Mersey River Turners Lane Revegetation | Converting a degraded area of the Mersey River into native vegetation supporting ecoystsem resilience and benefits to community recreation. | Devonport | $16,940 |
Glenorchy City Council | Chapel Street Reserve | Planting native canopy trees in an urban park in the Chapel Street Reserve. | Glenorchy | $31,825 |
Hobart City Council | Greening the Hobart CBD | Planting canopy cover trees along Harrington Street between Davey Street and Collins Street in the Hobart CBD. | Hobart | $40,000 |
Southern Regional Natural Resource Management Association | Blue-Green Corridors for a Cooler Clarence | Planting native trees in the Clarence Plains Reserve and the Kangaroo Bay Rivulet to support active transport and recreational routes in Clarence Council. | Clarence | $33,242 |
The Urban Greening Grants program delivers on an action in the Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plan for Land use, land use change and forestry 2024-2029 to:
“Work with local government, regional development authorities and other institutions to plant climate tolerant trees in urban environments that can increase carbon storage and build resilience during high temperatures.”
What is ‘urban greening’?
Urban greening is the process of increasing vegetation such as shrubs, trees and green spaces within an urban area to create shadier, cooler environments, increasing biodiversity, improving air quality and leading to more resilient communities.
What are the benefits of urban greening?
Urban greening is known to provide a range of benefits, from building resilience to climate change and improving biodiversity, to enhancing human health and wellbeing.
Planting trees reduces the urban heat island effect during periods of high temperatures as trees not only provide shade, they also cool and clean air through the process of evapotranspiration (the process where water transfers from the earth’s surface to the atmosphere through evaporation (from soil and water) and transpiration (from plants)).
There are a range of other benefits associated with urban greening. These include:
- increasing biodiversity, by providing habitat and food for other organisms
- improving storm water management, by absorbing excess storm water runoff
- improving human health and wellbeing (including both physical and mental health and wellbeing)
- improving air quality by providing oxygen and filtering air pollution
- creating ecological links between urban forests and bushland areas
- fostering social cohesion and promoting a sense of community
- sequestering carbon.
What is a ‘climate tolerant’ tree?
A climate tolerant tree is a tree that suits a particular local environment and the changes that are expected to occur there as a result of climate change.
Under the grant program, tree species selected for a project needed to be resilient to Tasmania’s changing climate conditions, such as higher temperatures, increased frequency and intensity of extreme events, and changing rainfall patterns.
The program suggested a range of factors to be taken into consideration when selecting tree species. These included:
- future climate conditions in the local area
- canopy coverage and tree size (trees with larger coverage will create more shade and build more resilience to heat)
- water availability/water needs
- pruning or maintenance needs
- excessive leaf, fruit, bark or branch fall
- tree lifespan (preferably 50–150-year lifespan)
- neighbourhood character
- requirements for winter sun
- pedestrian and driver safety
- species that are unlikely to cause allergies
- no potential to become a weed
- susceptibility to pests or disease.
What is considered an urban environment?
The program is specifically targeted at urban environments, commonly characterised as built-up areas that include services, housing and dense populations.
Under the grant program, an urban environment was defined as an area within one of the following zones, as described in the Tasmanian Planning Scheme (or applicable Interim Planning Scheme).
- General Residential Zone
- Inner Residential Zone
- Urban Mixed-Use Zone
- Local Business Zone
- General Business Zone
- Central Business Zone
- Community Purpose Zone