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Local residents have a civic responsibility to protect Sydney’s urban tree canopy, according to Willoughby City Council Mayor Tanya Taylor.
In a speech to be given at the launch of the Council’s Canopy of Life Tree Festival on Wednesday 29 May 2024, Mayor Taylor will announce work designed to inspire residents to be more eco-conscious by educating them effectively about trees, as well as new investment in council enforcement of tree protection laws.
The Mayor will:
- Aim to mobilise residents to combat the climate emergency by telling them “everyone has a responsibility” to safeguard the future of Willoughby’s urban tree canopy
- Announce Willoughby City Council’s intention to increase levels of public understanding about the various ways trees improve lives in local communities by generating clean air, controlling erosion, and combatting the ‘urban heat island’ effect
- Confirm the Council is allocating a new staff resource dedicated to tree vandalism investigations and tree protection compliance
The Canopy of Life Tree Festival is the first of its kind for Willoughby City Council, and features a packed programme of interactive walks, talks and workshops. Designed to inspire residents to feel more strongly about environmental issues, the programme includes a keynote talk from Greg Mullins, the charismatic former fire and rescue commissioner, at a day-long symposium titled Conversations on Trees, taking place on 5 June 2024.
Other speakers include Macquarie University’s Dr Michael Gillings. To see the full programme visit: https://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Canopy-of-Life-Tree-Festival
“I grew up amongst the ancient forests of Tasmania, so trees are very much in my DNA,” says Mayor Clr Tanya Taylor. “Whether it was enjoying time in the bush with friends and family, or camping amongst the
trees with my local Girl Guide group, I grew up in awe of our nation’s trees and the
biodiversity they support.
“Perhaps then it was fate that led to me becoming Mayor of Willoughby City Council. We are
blessed with a lush and dense urban tree canopy, with 35% of the local government area
under cover.
“It’s just one of many considerable assets that make our community both unique and special, and safeguarding it for future generations is a considerable Council priority.
“But to do so successfully, we need every Willoughby resident to understand and appreciate the hugely important role that trees play in sustaining the planet and human life. 6,000 years ago the region’s trees were vital to the Gammeraygal people, original owners of these lands. They provided shade, controlled erosion, and acted as spiritual landmarks for birthing sites and burial grounds. Fast forward to today and very little has changed.
“If anything, the community’s reliance on trees has expanded, given the ever-increasing need
for their role in cleaning the air we breathe, and providing habitat and food for many
endangered native species.
“At Willoughby we are determined to protect and promote the benefits of our thriving urban tree canopy. In the coming financial year we will be investing more than ever in this mission, with a new staff resource and an additional $2 million towards public area maintenance and urban canopy management, made possible thanks to our community’s support for a special rate increase recently approved by IPART, the rates regulator.
“But if we are to successfully take residents with us on this mission, education will be an equally important piece of the puzzle. Our Environment Education team is continually working hard to connect with the public through the Love Your Trees campaign, and this year, for the first time, have curated a fantastic festival, which I am proud to launch.”
Over the next few weeks Willoughby residents are invited to enjoy a packed programme of free workshops, walks, and talks – that we hope will bring some of the theory to life.
From the restorative potential of forest bathing, to practical advice on managing trees in your back yard; workshops on native tree identification, and bushwalks for young families, there truly is something for everyone.
“The undoubted highlight is our Conversations on Trees Symposium, taking place on 5 June at Chatswood Library. The Symposium features a day-long line-up of talks from expert speakers, culminating with a keynote address from Greg Mullins, the charismatic former fire and rescue chief and now climate activist.
“Council has also worked with staff and students from the Environment Club at Willoughby Girls High School to develop two new walking ‘Tree Trails’ around the City. Information about various trees along each route will be accessible to passers-by on ‘Tree Tags’, which we hope will help residents understand more about our tree canopy in an engaging and immediate way. Students from the club took a hands-on role in the creation of the trails by selecting trees and collecting data to quantify their positive environmental impact,” Clr Taylor said.
“I’m really hopeful that all of this activity will inspire residents to love trees as much as I did growing up, and in time, feel as passionately about the environment as I do today. If we are to succeed in our mission to protect and enhance our tree canopy, we need them on our side. Each and every resident has a civic responsibility to think about the greater good. As a united local community, we can preserve Willoughby’s environment for future generations to enjoy, and play our part in tackling the global climate emergency. Nothing is more valuable than that.”
