CANOPY COVER TRANSFORMING AUSTRALIAN CITIES

A great example of this is the work Fleming’s has been doing with Melbourne’s city councils. For example, with the City of Wyndham, sister companies Fleming’s Nurseries and Fleming’s Landscapes have worked on the council's plans to increase canopy cover dramatically by 2030.

In 2017 the council undertook a canopy cover study to review the previous ten year period, which highlighted the region was suffering from very low canopy cover, especially when compared to other areas of Melbourne.

The report gave rise to the Wyndham Street Tree Planting Program which aims to increase the cities canopy cover to 25 percent, with the express aim of delivering at least one tree to every applicable nature strip in the city. Fleming’s are proud to be helping the city achieve this aim and have been busily planting trees across the municipality for almost two years.

Fleming’s have also been appointed by Hobsons Bay Council on their canopy project to deliver thousands of trees, in a bid to increase shade cover to 30 percent by 2040.

More councils across Melbourne and Victoria are doing the same which will see Victoria transformed into one of the most shaded states in the country and, should modern research be correct, will deliver multi-faceted benefits to society. Fleming’s director, Wes Fleming, couldn’t be happier to see things finally turning around in our burgeoning suburbs. 

“A major benefit of urban greening is that it helps keep cities cool. By increasing tree coverage our urban areas will be better insulated and offer greater sun protection. Our Research and Innovation team have been talking about this for decades now and we are just thrilled to see local government addressing Melbourne’s shade coverage … that it is becoming a greater priority. We have been diligent for decades in introducing appropriate trees to meet the needs of canopy with a focus on the right tree for the right situation," says Wes.

Not only is shade important according to Fleming, but it is imperative to select the right tree which, in many cases, can be an upright growing form which will provide excellent sequestration but may be a better fit for purpose.

In addition, Fleming’s team have sought out varieties that work specifically for street situations where there are a number of constraints such as services, power lines, sidewalks and more to contend with.

“There are no negatives to planting a small tree as long as we plant a tree,” says Wes.  “Especially in well-planned urban greening programs in new growth areas where housing blocks are smaller with less available space for large canopy trees.” 

“There is ample research available now that tells us that something as simple as spending time looking at trees reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and improves mood. Numerous studies show that both exercising in spaces that have ample canopy and trees and sitting looking at trees will reduce blood pressure.

Fleming’s are taking on further work in the field and are currently in the early stages of planning with an organisation that is preparing a mood app that will ultimately record people’s mood information and reward them with the planting of a tree.

He said other research shows that exposure to green and soft landscaped environments decrease stress-related hormones cortisol and adrenaline, and it can even promote better healing which has the potential to achieve a society that is ultimately calmer and healthier.

Contact Fleming’s to receive a copy of its free supplement to the Fleming’s Urban Tree Guide