By Alesha Capone
A state Opposition member has called for more trees to be planted across the western suburbs, including in Wyndham.
Western region MP Bernie Finn made a speech in Parliament last month, calling on Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio to increase the number of trees in Wyndham, Brimbank, Melton and Hobsons Bay.
Mr Finn said that while many parts of the west were “green and leafy”, several areas – especially new developments – have hardly any trees.
“Their houses are built and they have a road and footpath, and that is about it,” he said.
“What we need is a comprehensive and intensive program to ensure that more trees are planted throughout the western suburbs of Melbourne, because not only does it enhance the aesthetics of the local area but of course it also, as has been pointed out, does lower the temperature.”
Mr Finn suggested he and Ms D’Ambrosio work together to organise a program to plant a “substantial” number of trees in the west.
Star Weekly reported last month that Wyndham has the lowest level of green coverage in the nation, according to a study from RMIT University and Greener Spaces Better Places.
The research found that just 5.4 per cent of Wyndham was covered by trees and shrubs.
Melton placed second-lowest for tree coverage in the report, followed by Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay, Hume, Port Adelaide Enfield and Brimbank.
A Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) spokesperson said that the state government was “working to increase tree cover in Melbourne through policies both within Plan Melbourne 2017-2050 and Victoria’s Climate Change Adaption Plan 2017-2050”.
“As part of the Cooling and Greening Melbourne project we are now developing strategies to increase tree canopy cover across metropolitan Melbourne,” the spokesperson said.
The recent state budget also delivered $92.3 million to restore land and plant four million trees across more than 6000 hectares of Victoria.
Wyndham city operations director Stephen Thorpe said the council was planning to plant 21,500 trees in the coming year.
The council also planted 11,800 street trees and a further 31,000 shrubs and trees in the 2019-20 financial year.
