Lack of trees make Dandenong a heatwave hotspot, statistics show
One Melbourne region’s lack of tree cover has made it a ‘heatwave hotspot’ and is putting vulnerable residents at greater risk.
South East
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AS summer sizzles, many Greater Dandenong residents could be feeling the heat more than most.
Research by the Climate Council has identified the municipality as a ‘heatwave hotspot’, because it has the lowest tree canopy cover on the entire eastern side of Melbourne.
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Climate Council member Professor Hilary Bambrick said while everyone’s health was at risk during heatwaves, people at highest risk included the socio-economically disadvantaged, young children, pregnant women, those with a chronic illness and elderly people.
“We can see from the number of hospital visits and ambulance calls that those living in lower socio-economic parts of Victoria are the hardest hit,” she said.
“These communities typically have fewer trees providing shade and the cooling effect of transpiration. On very hot days, trees can reduce rates of heat-related illness vulnerable people experience during an extreme heat event.”
Greater Dandenong councillor Matthew Kirwan said the city was planning to increase tree canopy coverage to 15 per cent of the municipality by 2028 to tackle rising temperatures.
“Climate change related extreme weather is threatening the wellbeing of residents, a significant number of whom are socio-economically disadvantaged,” he said.
“In addition to reducing heat impacts on residents, appropriately placed trees in the landscape can realise up to 58 per cent in savings on daytime airconditioning.”
Greater Dandenong Environment Group president Ian Kitchen said larger melaleuca trees that had died off were being replaced with smaller trees providing less canopy.
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