Help grow and care for our Urban Forest
The Town's Urban Forest program, delivered in collaboration with our community, has achieved many positive environmental, social, and health benefits. We've seen trees and shrubs planted in public green spaces, in sump lands turned into micro parks, on streetscapes, and in home gardens through our various #GreeningVicPark programs.
Once a tree, plant or shrub has been planted, it also needs protection and maintenance for the first couple of years, including regular watering, litter clearance, weeding and checking for physical damage. All plants, trees, and shrubs planted by the Town are maintained regularly by our team throughout the year.
However, as you can imagine, with the amount of trees and green spaces around the Town, we might not be able to ensure every plant is as protected as we'd like. So, we would love the help of our community to care for our urban forest!
How to care for a street tree
The Town undertakes an annual tree planting program during the winter months or until appropriate soil moisture conditions as a result of rainfall has been achieved. Suitable planting locations will be selected by the Town for the program in accordance with the Urban Forest Strategy. In addition, private property owners can request the verge adjacent their property be listed for consideration within the Annual Tree Planting Program. The Town will provide and plant, at no charge, one or more street trees on the road verge.
The Town will maintain all new street trees following planting. This will include summer watering during establishment, staking, professional pruning and the application of mulch, fertiliser and wetting agent. We would also love your help to make sure our street trees grow healthy and strong, reaching their full canopy cover and providing us with shade and many other benefits. Here are some easy ways you can help care for a Vic Park street tree:
- Help us water during the summer months (November to May) - 30-50 litres per week can make a big difference.
- Fertilise new street trees - if you have received communications about a street tree planted on a verge near you, you would have also received a bucket of water and a fertiliser sachet. We would love your help to fertilise twice in the tree's first year with the sachet provided. We'll then take over this maintenance for the first 3 years of tree establishment.
- Weed naturally - did you know, weeds can reduce a plants early growth rate by up to 70% compared to weed free sites and can decrease survival to as little as 10%? If you spot some weeds around your street tree, give it some love by hand-weeding (avoid chemical weed killers).
- Contact us to have a street tree pruned - the Town has a planned approach to street tree pruning, as it needs to be undertaken by qualified arborists to ensure the long-term survival of the trees. Programmed pruning includes lifting the canopies to enable pedestrian movement and to allow clear site lines for road users. If you see a street tree in need of a prune, contact us here.
Local tree care story
Local resident, Helen, received a street tree outside her home that she's been excited to share and showcase with us! Check out Helen's story and the red flowering gum tree she's smitten with here.
Request tree care support
Have you spotted a street tree in need of some extra care? Or perhaps noticed a public green space that requires support from the Town?
You can make a request for service to help our trees grow and reach their full potential through our 'Verges and street trees' form here.
Join our Grow & Care database
Want to get involved in our Urban Forest Program and be a part of our tree care program? Click on the link below to subscribe to our Urban Forest newsletter and we'll keep you updated on future events and opportunities!
Subscribe to Urban Forest News