Greening Greater Bendigo

Shaping a Greener Greater Bendigo

Greening Greater Bendigo 2020-2070 is the first urban forest strategy for Greater Bendigo. It is a 50-year strategic vision for increasing tree cover and improving tree health across urban areas and townships of Greater Bendigo. The strategy provides a strategic response to the complex challenges that threaten the health of the natural environment, the health of our residents and the liveability of our City and townships over the coming decades.

Greening Greater Bendigo incorporates a 10-year action plan which outlines the City’s most immediate priorities and commitments to increase tree cover and protect the trees and green spaces that the community value. It aims to reverse the trend of tree loss from urban areas so that the multiple benefits trees provide can be enjoyed by current and future generations.

Both the strategy and action plan were shaped by input from the Greater Bendigo community during two rounds of community engagement in late 2018 and early 2020. 

The final strategy and action plan was endorsed at the June 17, 2020 Council meeting.

View the final strategy and action plan  - Greening Greater Bendigo 2020 - 2070
 

Greening Greater Bendigo Targets

What do we want to achieve?

1. Increase tree cover across urban areas and townships of Greater Bendigo from 20.4% currently to:
   • 25% cover by 2030
   • 35% cover by 2050
   • 45% cover by 2070
2. Improve the health of Greater Bendigo’s urban forest.

   By 2030 we will achieve:

   • An establishment rate for all newly planted trees of at least 95%

   At any one time there will be:

   • No more than 10% of the total tree population will have a useful life expectancy of 10 years or less
   • 80% of the total tree population will be healthy
3. The community will have a greater understanding of the importance of the urban forest and engage in its stewardship.

How will get there?

The Greening Greater Bendigo Action Plan 2020-2030 lists numerous actions to be delivered over the next decade. Of all the actions, there are three that have been listed as priority actions based on their importance to the successful delivery of this strategy.

Priority actions

1. Develop and deliver a ten-year tree planting program to increase tree cover and replace projected tree losses 
2. Develop precinct plans for each urban precinct and township to guide local tree planting and green infrastructure investment
3. Undertake a review of the mechanisms available to protect significant trees and landscapes and implement recommended controls