Trees and reserves

Trees

Within our streets and parks, the City is responsible for managing more than 120,000 urban trees. These trees make up our urban forest, playing a vital role in the enhanced value of our streets and spaces.

The benefits provided by our urban forest are:

• Added aesthetic and amenity of our streets and spaces
• Significant cooling and shade
• Habitat and food for local fauna
• Reduction in air and water pollutants
• Sequestration of carbon
• Reduced stormwater runoff

The City continues to plant thousands of trees each year to mitigate the effects of urban heat and beautify the City. Species planted are a mix of indigenous, native, and exotic ornamental trees.

Find out more about how we manage our trees and what’s involved in our continued building of Bendigo’s urban forest through our Greening Greater Bendigo strategy.

Reserves

We manage many natural outdoor spaces for the public to enjoy. Our natural reserves include:

• Parkland
• Bushland
• Lakes
• Creeks
• Some road reserves.

You can enjoy great recreational experiences at these sites such as picnicking, bush walking, bird watching and bike riding.

Find out more about experiencing our natural reserves.  

Tree Cities of the World

Bendigo has been recognised as one of 2022's Tree Cities of the World!

The recognition places Bendigo among 168 other cities from 21 countries worldwide as part of an important global network leading the way in urban forestry.

Our inclusion in the programme in its third year is a credit to all Parks and Open Space staff that create, maintain, and enhance the City’s green spaces, and a reminder that we are so fortunate to be part of a community that embraces and appreciates the City’s urban forest and public greening.

Tree Cities is a program of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Arbor Day Foundation, Tree Cities of the World website