The Western Australian government has unveiled the state’s first-ever Urban Greening Strategy for Perth and Peel, setting a coordinated path to combat urban heat, bolster climate resilience, and enhance community wellbeing through greener, more sustainable neighbourhoods.
The landmark strategy aims to integrate trees, plants, and green spaces into the fabric of urban areas as they grow, improving liveability while addressing the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss.
It also forms a key part of the government’s broader vision to balance essential housing and infrastructure delivery with environmental stewardship.
Planning and Lands Minister John Carey said the strategy represents years of collaborative work to guide greening efforts across the region.
“Our government has worked extensively to develop the first-ever urban greening strategy for Perth and Peel, while making significant investments to boost urban canopy,” said Carey.
“In line with this government’s commitment to delivering housing and essential infrastructure, the strategy provides a coordinated, practical approach to ensure trees, plants, and green spaces are integrated into our neighbourhoods as they evolve.
“This new strategy supports our efforts to boost urban canopy, including changes to the residential codes to incentivise tree retention, the Treebates incentive, and the Tree Recovery program.”
As part of the rollout, the government will soon launch a Let’s Grow program, featuring both a grants initiative and a detailed action plan.
The first round of Let’s Grow grants will fund schools and community groups to deliver urban greening projects focused on increasing tree canopy and improving access to nature across local communities.
The strategy acknowledges the vital role community participation plays in shaping greener, cooler cities.
From schools cultivating micro-forests to local groups planting trees in recreation areas, civic spaces, and verges, collective action will be central to achieving the state’s canopy goals.
Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn said urban greening is a global response to the twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
“Around the world, urban greening is being adopted as a response to global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss,” said Swinbourn.
“The Urban Greening Strategy reinforces the need to grow tree canopy and vegetation to shade and cool our neighbourhoods and improve community wellbeing.
“But more than just planting trees, urban greening helps protect and enhance the natural world that sustains us all.
“We all need to work together to create a city that is climate-resilient and nature-rich for generations to come.”
The Urban Greening Strategy and Let’s Grow program will help drive progress toward the WA government’s commitment to increase Perth’s tree canopy cover to 30 per cent by 2040 and plant one million trees by 2035.
These initiatives build on significant investments already underway, including the $6.9 million Treebates incentive and the $7.2 million Tree Recovery Program.
Developed through extensive research and consultation, including with leaders from the Danjoo Koorliny Walking Together project, the strategy promotes shared vision and collaboration across sectors to ensure sustainable outcomes.
