Marion Council takes street tree management to a new level with Adelaide software developer Forestree
One council in greater Adelaide is offering free access to all their intel on street trees as part of a plan to double the tree canopy.
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Marion Council is planting nearly 30,000 trees to double the street tree canopy, leading the race to cool and green the suburbs amid growing competition between councils.
More than half of the councils (nine of 17) in Greater Adelaide are working with local software developer Forestree to manage their natural assets.
But Forestree co-founder Ben Seamark says “Marion has taken it to the next level”, integrating with other technology and giving residents unprecedented access to all of the information on their website, trees.marion.sa.gov.au.
“That’s what’s so great about the Marion site, what you see there is real time, it’s not a snapshot in time, it’s not 12 months ago, it’s right now, today,” Mr Seamark said.
“So when a tree is planted, it will appear on the map... it will show when it’s being watered, all those sorts of things, all in real time.”
Anyone can visit the website and search for a street or suburb to see the precise location of each individual tree, view photographs and information about the species including how big it will grow. The website also displays the watering schedule, the volume of water used and the number of tree inspections undertaken.
Mayor Kris Hanna said Council has an ambitious plan to green the city, including priority plantings in “hot spots”.
“We want to blanket our streets in shade and attract birdlife,” he said.
“This will involve doubling the street tree canopy – the area covered by leaves and branches.
“We have provided our community with a unique view of how we are greening the city with details of almost 45,000 current and future planting sites on an interactive website.”
The 30,000 trees planted over the next seven years will include a range of native and exotic species, ranging from coral gums and dwarf SA blue gums, to ornamental pears, Jacarandas and maples. There will be saplings and advanced trees.
The first plantings will target Oaklands Park, Edwardstown, Clovelly Park and Mitchell Park.
By September, residents in these areas will see 3500 new street trees, 400 advanced trees along main roads and 400 reserve trees.
There are an estimated 65,000 trees in the City of Marion.
The Council is seeking to double its street tree canopy by 2040.
The plantings aim to reduce urban heat and stormwater runoff, clean the air and improve the appearance of suburbs.
Mayor Hanna said a 12-month trial showed the system improved the way trees are maintained and watered, saving $40,000 in staff time and resources.
“The new system is improving our forward planning and increasing efficiency to secure better outcomes for residents,” Mayor Hanna said.
The choice of tree species is based on soil type, the size a tree is expected to grow, proximity to infrastructure, such as drains and power lines, and its ability to thrive in an urban area.
Staff photograph trees during maintenance visits and compare images against the tree for future reference to check its development.
Local Government Association of SA president Angela Evans says SA councils are committed to increasing urban canopy, supporting the State Government’s target of increasing green cover by 20 per cent in metropolitan Adelaide by 2045.
“Councils invest millions of dollars every year providing and maintaining trees in their communities, and use a range of strategies and programs to support their proactive approach to tree management,” she said.
“It’s fantastic to see technology evolving in this area, and councils embracing the opportunity to modernise their tree management practices.”
Sarah Kempson, 34, of Melrose Park enjoys going for walks in nature and happily travels across town to visit the Oaklands Wetland.
“Life’s very stressful,” she said.
“Being in nature where there’s more trees is very good for your mental health and wellbeing, so the fact the council is planting more trees is great for that.”
More than half of the councils (nine of 17) in Greater Adelaide are working with local software developer Forestree to manage their natural assets.
HERE’S A LIST OF THE COUNCILS ON BOARD SO FAR:
Campbelltown
West Torrens
Marion
Mitcham
Prospect
Walkerville
Burnside
Tea Tree Gully
Playford
Source: Forestree.
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