Wyndham invites residents to help draft strategy on city forests and habitats
Wyndham residents are being invited to have their say on a new draft strategy that aims to protect and manage local trees as valuable Council assets.
The Draft City Forest and Habitat Strategy was adopted at an Ordinary Council Meeting on Wednesday, 6 September. Wyndham City’s Environment and Sustainability portfolio holder, Cr Heather Marcus, said all residents were now being encouraged to comment on the strategy.
“Wyndham City manages over 200,000 trees in local streets and open spaces. But with our municipality growing so fast, it’s important that we work hard to balance this growth with the protection of our local environment,” Cr Marcus said.
Two of the main objectives of the draft strategy are to increase urban tree canopy cover and protect and manage local trees. The draft strategy also includes clear short and long term targets to help Council achieve its goals. These include a target that the entire Werribee River corridor within Wyndham be protected by an appropriate planning control by 2022 and that 35 per cent of Council’s parks and open spaces by covered by tree canopies by 2040.
Cr Marcus said the draft strategy would also help to establish a register of significant local trees. “Through this draft strategy Council is seeking nominations and advice on significant trees throughout Wyndham. These will then be added to a preliminary list that has already been compiled through initial consultation. All of these nominations will then need further assessment,” she added.
“This is a good chance for residents to have a say in how we manage our local environment. Our community has proven how much they care about our local trees, so we want as many people as possible to help shape this strategy so it can guide the work that we do in the future,” Cr Marcus said.
The Draft City Forest and Habitat Strategy is available for public consultation until Saturday, 18 October. For more information or to provide feedback, visit www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/foresthabitatstrategy.
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