Grants for greener neighbourhoods

Greater Sydney will be a greener, cooler place for people to enjoy, under a new initiative to support significantly increased urban tree cover.

The NSW Government’s Greener Neighbourhoods program will provide up to $1.65 million in total funding to Greater Sydney’s 33 councils to enhance our tree canopy across the region.

Member for Oatley, Mark Coure, said that this was a positive initiative that is generating strong environmental benefits across the local community.

“By increasing our tree canopy across the region, we are creating a greener, cooler and more sustainable Sydney that can be enjoyed for generations to come,” Mr Coure said.

“We know that environmental and social changes are occurring rapidly across Greater Sydney and projects like these that promote urban greening are reducing these impacts to improve liveability and biodiversity.”

“As we look to the future, we must ensure that the environmental needs of our community are protected and this grants program will improve air quality and temperature throughout our community.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Rob Stokes, said the Government aimed to increase Greater Sydney’s tree cover from around 21 percent to 40 percent by 2036.

“Trees and urban greening are essential to healthy and happy neighbourhoods and we want to help councils increase the number of trees in our suburbs,” Minister Stokes said.

“This new initiative builds on our work to make Sydney a more sustainable and liveable city and it is part of our plan to see one million trees planted by 2022.”

“Councils have a major role to play in expanding tree canopy and urban greening across Sydney and we are working with them to deliver a greener, more connected city.”

Grants of up to $50,000 are available to each of Greater Sydney’s 33 councils for planning work to improve local urban forests.

Councils will also be given new data about the extent of Sydney’s canopy cover, along with a Greener Neighbourhoods Guide to assist with the development or updating of urban forest strategies.

The Greener Neighbourhoods program has been co-designed by the NSW Government in consultation with councils and in partnership with Resilient Sydney.

For more information, please visit: www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/greener-neighbourhoods