Pictured: Pecan in Coromandel Valley Sandow Crescent Reserve, by City of Onkaparinga
Six South Australian cities have been named in the Arbor Day Foundation and Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Tree Cities of the World program, recognising cities and regions around the globe that have a clear tree strategy, rules to protect them, dedicated funding, and active community programs that get locals planting, learning, and connecting with nature.
The awards, which were revealed earlier this year, cover six continents, 24 countries, and 210 communities, each dedicated to a greener future. Across Australasia, only 14 cities received the honour, and six of them were in South Australia. Burnside, Mitcham, Tea Tree Gully and Unley all made a return to the list, with Onkaparinga and Marion appearing for the first time.
This Tree Cities of the World program is a seriously prestigious global network that celebrates cities doing great things for their urban forests, almost like a VIP club for the planet’s greenest communities.
Sophie Plitt, program manager at the Arbor Day Foundation shared, “Tree Cities of the World is more than a recognition program. It’s a rapidly growing global movement, transforming how communities view and value their urban forest. It goes beyond borders, connecting passionate organisers and tireless tree planters, and uniting them under the shared mission of making our world’s communities healthier places to live.
“This record-breaking 2024 class is a testament to the power of trees in every corner of the world, and we’re excited to honour these cities and their important work,” said Sophie.
For Onkaparinga to make the list, it has been a massive effort over the past few years. The council recently introduced a new Tree Management Policy, set a huge goal to plant 100,000 new trees by 2037, and implemented a community-driven One Tree Per Child program. Plus, with a series of popular tree giveaway events and canopy mapping, it’s easy to see how the region earned its title.
The City of Onkaparinga has already planted over 63,000 new trees across verges, parks, and waterways, giving the community shadier streets, cleaner air, homes for local wildlife, and spaces where people can connect. And with a strong, healthy urban forest linked to better mental health, lower temperatures, and stronger communities, this is great news for the community.
“We are well over halfway to achieving our target of planting 100,000 trees on council land. We are currently planting up to 4,000 trees each year with a renewed focus on a quality over quantity approach to planting street trees to ensure we give them the best chance at survival with a changing climate,” shared Renee Mitchell, Director Planning, City of Onkaparinga.
“However, we also know that we have limited space to plant trees on council land, and planting and retaining trees on private land is critical for our wider urban forest to survive and thrive. To this end, we have undertaken significant advocacy work to improve legislation and planning requirements that support retention and planting of trees on private land.”
As for the other council regions, Marion is planting 4300 trees annually, with a target to increase its urban tree canopy by 20 per cent. Over in Mitcham, they’ve increased their tree canopy coverage from 32.32 per cent in 2018-2019, to now 39.77 per cent. In Unley, they have an Urban Forest with over 26,000 street and park trees.
This inclusion on the Tree Cities of the World list really highlights the incredible efforts of South Australian councils to shape greener, healthier, and more connected communities. These six cities are setting a global example for sustainable urban living, proving that meaningful change can start at the local level.
For more information and to check out the other cities recognised on the Tree Cities of the World list, click here.
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