Healthy Mature Trees
Unlike other assets, the value of a tree appreciates over time as it grows larger and as its tree canopy expands. The value of the trees on Kings Reserve has been increasing for 25 years.
If 25-year-old, healthy, mature eucalyptus trees on a council owned public reserve aren’t protected,
then which trees are?
Kings Reserve
Protect the Western Half of Kings Reserve
In the context of declining tree cover
Kings Reserve is located in the City of West Torrens in the suburb of Torrensville. In the 10 years between 2008 and 2018 Torrensville saw a decrease in its tree canopy cover by 3% with a further loss of shrub cover over this period of 1%. This loss was experience not just in the private realm but also in the Council controlled public realm.
Given the trend in tree loss and urban development, the Council acknowledges it will be a challenge to achieve the State Government tree canopy aspirations of a 20% increase in tree canopy cover by 2045 unless a focused effort to increase tree plantings and tree protection is established. The Council also acknowledges that it will be a challenge for Council to build community resilience to climate change, to cool urban heat, and to maintain healthy and connected communities.
With the rise of urban infill and the associated conversion of once vegetated backyards to hard surfaces, council owned parks and reserves have become ever more important in the ability for councils to meet the community’s needs for tree cover.
So why is the City of West Torrens then considering chopping down a healthy stand of mature gum trees on a council owned community park simply to cater for the wants of a private corporation?
Torrensville
3% decrease in tree canopy
Is it acceptable for the City of West Torrens to replace these 25-year-old, appropriately located, native euclyptus trees with manicured grass for the Adelaide Crows?
The ‘powerhouses’ of green space
Trees, shrubs and grass are all categorised as ‘green space’ and ‘green cover’ by the City of West Torrens.
However, in the greening hierarchy, it is the trees that are the ‘powerhouses’ when it comes to the benefits they provide.
When compared with trees, manicured grass just doesn’t cut it.
The benefits of trees, however, are proportional to their size, canopy area and length of the growing season, meaning that saplings – while crucial to ensuring the future generations of trees – do not provide the same benefits as more mature trees.
This is why it is vitally important that we protect the existing large mature trees on Kings Reserve and why they simply can’t be replaced with new plantings.