Woollahra Municipal Council in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is bringing in new greening rules that will require property owners to have a tree canopy of 30% and set landscaping controls to prevent overdevelopment.
The aim of the new rules is to boost the tree canopy on private property, minimise urban heat, and mitigate climate change, after knockdown rebuilds have destroyed many of the areas mature trees.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports on how the new rules are receiving support but also criticism for not going far enough, considering the state government’s target of 40 per cent tree canopy cover by 2036.
Other councils, such as Northern Beaches, Mosman and The Hills have even stricter landscaping and tree cover requirements.