Published on 18 March 2024

Have your say on Onkaparinga's trees

The City of Onkaparinga is reviewing its tree canopy targets and wants to hear your views.

In 2017, the council set a target to plant 100,000 trees by 2037.

It has already planted 56,000 trees on street verges, alongside waterways and in parks since the target was set.

It also set urban greening targets that will see a 20 per cent increase in both tree canopy cover and urban green cover in our public areas by 2045.  

Urban greening is a collection of trees and shrubs that grow within a city, town or a suburb.

Trees provide shade, cooling, clean air, less stormwater runoff, habitat for birds and wildlife, and reduction in the impacts of climate change.

Together, these benefits improve the wellbeing of individuals, communities and the environment.

The council maps the tree canopy – the number and size of trees and vegetation – across the region every few years. It also maps thermal heating.

Together, these help the council to identify where there are hot spots and gaps and where to plant new trees.

“We are asking residents to complete a short 10- to 15-minute online survey,” says Nina Keath, Team Leader Sustainability at the council.

“We will use the results of the survey to understand community views and help shape our policies and planning in relation to trees and urban greening.”

The council has a range of other tree and tree canopy programs, including Adopt a Tree, Tree of the Month – started in April 2023, and advocacy to the state government about better planning laws and regulations for trees.

In April, it is also launching a new campaign to help each child in the area plant at least one tree before leaving school.

You can learn more about the council’s tree-related work on its website and be the first to hear about new initiatives and events by following the Sustainable Onkaparinga Facebook page. 

The tree-target survey is available on the council’s Your Say page. The survey is open from 18 March to 7 April.