The Conservator of Flora and Fauna declared the loss of mature native trees as a key threatening process to our natural environment in 2018. During this engagement, the Conservator was asking the community for comments on the draft action plan to better protect mature native trees and to plan for future generations of trees.
Consultation closed on 27th May 2022 and the Loss of Mature Native Trees Key Threatening Process Action Plan was released in November 2023.
Mature native trees don’t just look good. They are crucial to the wellbeing of our natural environment.
Mature trees are those over 60-100 years old. Their hollows, branches, and canopy provide food, shelter and other services that younger trees cannot. They provide specialised habitat for many birds and animals, including threatened bird species such as the Superb Parrot, Little Eagle and Brown Treecreeper.
But 200 years of settlement have taken their toll. Those trees that remain are threatened by development, land clearing, fire, climate change and dieback. In urban and rural areas, mature native trees may be pruned or removed due to public safety concerns, and are threatened also when the groundcover surrounding them is cleared or their roots and trunks are damaged.
It’s now time to not only save the mature trees that remain but to secure an ongoing supply of young and aging native trees for the next 200 plus years.
The draft Action Plan to Prevent the Loss of Mature Native Trees in the Territory outlines how we can prevent more losses in urban and rural areas and in our reserves. We need to protect living, established trees and also ensure a steady stream of new trees continues to be planted over coming decades. Even dead trees provide essential habitat and should remain in the landscape where safe.
Your comments helped finalise the Loss of Mature Native Trees Key Threatening Process Action Plan.
The comments received are summarised in the Listening Report within the Document Library.
Status: Open
Across the ACT, 54,000 trees will be planted by 2023-24 to enhance our urban forest. The Canberra community has been helping identify where they should go, with planting locations to focus on areas where there aren't many trees or where existing trees are ageing or dying.
Status: In Progress
The review of the Act will seek to better manage trees on private property and the need to protect trees and offset their removal. We sought your feedback on the Act and your ideas on how to simplify the tree removal application process in late 2019.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.
