As tree planting season begins, the City of Stirling is once again collaborating with the community to ensure greener, cooler, healthier suburbs into the future.
Since 2008, the City has planted 962,593 trees and shrubs, enhancing green spaces throughout the community, with a total of 65,624 trees and shrubs planted in 2022/23.
In the 2025 planting season the City aims to increase the number of trees planted in our streets, bushlands, wetlands and coastal dunes from 8,000 per year to 12,000. An investment of $216,420 will support the implementation of the City’s Urban Forest Plan, aimed at enriching tree retention, planting and canopy coverage across both public and private land.
“The City recognises the importance of trees to create functional and attractive streets and reserves, and remains committed to the planting, establishment and maintenance of trees with the goal of preserving and improving our tree canopy cover to 18 per cent by 2040,” Mayor Mark Irwin said.
This year as part of WA Tree Festival, the City hosted 35 events with over 4,500 participants, including providing almost 30,000 free trees and plants to the community. The City has also been hosting a series of five community planting events starting from 4 May and going through to 22 June, taking place in our conservation spaces and reserves.
“If there is one lesson from the last three years of the WA Tree Festival it is that community support and participation are essential alongside government policies to protect our natural environment,” he said.
“The City is continuously strengthening our partnerships with volunteer groups, which contributed about 6,670 volunteering hours last financial year.
“This is on top of the 1,020 hours contributed by the general community as part of community conservation days, and 220 hours by schools as part of school planting days. Community groups increase environmental value and help engage with a wider audience, cultivating a sustainable City for generations to come.”
The City now has seven active community gardens, encouraging biodiversity, social connection, and learning, with 239 active members.
These gardens have served as hubs for community engagement drawing in 1,507 participants through a variety of workshops and events.
“Across our 105km2, there are approximately 400,000 trees which the City manages to ensure our community receives all the economic, environmental, social and health benefits trees bring to our City and suburbs,” the Mayor said.
