Trees are the greatest urban design tool to connect communities, green our cities and tackle climate change.  What other city ingredient naturally cools our city, cleans our air and water, creates homes for native fauna and fosters sociable walkable communities?

TCL has commissioned research to provide a case for trees. To advocate for better tree infrastructures, with particular focus on Australia’s emerging communities. It is essential the residents in these growth areas, reap the benefits of a shady, cool and beautiful tree canopy, that provides a distinct identity and fosters community pride.

The merits of trees in our city centres and established parklands have long been valued and recognised. Not only for their amenity value, but more recently, for their important role in cooling our cities. Many government areas are recognising the value of trees in our more established urban environments through the establishment of canopy coverage targets and urban forest strategies to improve the long-term health of our communities.

Yet in the growth suburbs of Australia’s peri-urban areas, where large scale suburban development is transforming farmlands into our newest communities, the value of trees and their many benefits is mostly ignored. New streets in typical conventional developments are not providing the conditions for trees to be large, healthy or thrive.

Councils, state government agencies and service authorities are planning, mandating and approving streets with narrow verges, shallow soils, little access to water, poor drainage and uncoordinated services. Trees and their important horticultural needs are not part of a considered and coordinated street and subdivision design consideration.

Compounding the concerns, suburban development trends have seen larger houses on smaller lots, reducing the ability for homes owners or residents to establish significant trees in their own gardens. The provision of important canopy cover in these contexts relies on street tree planting.

Through simple yet effective changes to the design of our streets we can unlock the true potential of these magnificent green assets. The significant environmental, social and economic benefits for communities will then be realised.