Why councils in Perth's south are lining up for tree funding
The $7.2 million WA Tree Recovery Program was announced by the State Government last August but the money, which will help impacted councils plant up to three trees for every one that has been lost to the invasive pest, is only now available.
It is no surprise the City of Canning is champing at the bit to see some money as it counts the cost of already losing 172 trees to the invasive pest.
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'The city will be applying for WA Tree Recovery Program funding to help offset the loss of tree canopy,' mayor Patrick Hall confirmed on Tuesday. The polyphagous shot-hole borer has been wreaking havoc, forcing the mass cutting of some of the city's favourite canopies. Credit: Pia Scanlon / TheWest
'Our philosophy is to try and install replacement trees near to the location where canopy has been lost.'
The City of Melville, which has lost 149 trees to the borer, is also likely to apply for first round funding as it works through the criteria before the July 7 deadline.
'We recognise the importance of the urban forest tree canopy and so we welcome this opportunity from WALGA, which will help us to replace trees due to the PSHB infestation,' CEO Gail Bowman said.
The City of Fremantle and the Town of East Fremantle have lost a comparably smaller number of trees to the PSHB but also plan to apply.
Like Melville, those councils are in the midst of reviewing the grant criteria to assess eligibility.
The City of Cockburn is the region's only local authority not applying this year.
'As the city has only removed five PSHB-affected trees to date, the city's current tree planting program has been able to mitigate the associated canopy loss so will not apply for round one funding,' Cockburn's director of infrastructure Anton Lees said.
'The city may apply to next year's funding round ... for the predicted removal of more than 60 trees in Bibra Lake and Yangebup, where tree canopy is still being assessed.'
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