Strategic Objective 4 - A Liveable City
Open Space
Bushland Reserves
Twenty community activity days took place throughout the year completing planting, weeding, pruning and erosion control works. This included participation in the National Tree Planting Day in July when 125 volunteers assisted in planting 7,600 plants. Council values the support of the Friends Groups and other groups that volunteer their time to assist with revegetation and other programs.
Council also maintains several water bodies including a number of permanent and seasonal wetlands, which help support fauna populations and provide habitat for frog species.
To assist with fire prevention and management in bushland reserves, a concentrated effort to clear vegetation along boundary fence lines and remove unwanted vegetation in key areas was completed.
Trees
Over 120,000 assorted trees, shrubs and groundcovers were planted across the City. The majority of these were planted as part of the ongoing revegetation programs at bushland reserves and the capital improvement program.
This year has been the eleventh year of drought, requiring regular watering of street trees and landscaped areas at a cost of over $100,000. The extended drought conditions also impacted on the health of some mature significant trees, which required supplementary watering to help prevent a decline in their health. Overall, Council's operating budget commitment to its streetscape and reserve amenity tree program in 2006/2007 was $1,840,000.
In addition to the above routine works, 3,900 street and reserve trees were either pruned or removed. These works were mainly in response to 2,800 customer inquires and clean-up works following storms.
Published: 22 November 2007
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