Ten thousand native trees will be planted at Stockland’s Willowdale community – more than one for every new resident moving in – in a bid to make South West Sydney greener.
There just 4,000 to go after NSW Planning and Housing minister Anthony Roberts last Friday planted tree number 6,000.
Giving him a hand and with shovels in their hands were Fiona Morrison, NSW commissioner for open space and parklands, Cr George Brticevic, Mayor of Campbelltown City Council, and Richard Rhydderch, general manager of NSW residential communities for Stockland, the developer of Willowdale.
Also opened on the day was the first stage of a new $12 million bushland park featuring thousands of Australian native trees and plants, walking and cycling trails and a rejuvenated waterway.
Mr Roberts said the planting effort was a great step towards increasing Sydney’s urban canopy coverage from 16 to 40 per cent and reducing the heat island effect.
“The NSW Government’s Five Million Trees initiative is a $37.5 million commitment to creating a greener city and improving Sydney’s health, climate, economy and environment,” Mr Roberts said.
“Tree canopy coverage contributes so much to our environment and native species, while also providing much-needed shade for our streets and homes.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“I am very pleased that Stockland has responded to this target by planting a native tree for each resident.”[/social_quote]
The new park features opportunities for residents to get back to nature and encourages a healthy, active lifestyle, including boardwalks for waterway crossings, shaded picnic areas, creek trails and fauna watching locations, and on completion, six kilometres of walking, running and cycling trails and exercise stations.
Stockland’s Willowdale community has been awarded a 6 Star Green Star – Communities rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, which recognises world leadership across a wide range of environmental, economic and social sustainability initiatives.
Willowdale is currently home to 4,000 residents and on completion will comprise of 3,300 homes for more than 10,000 residents.
The community also features a neighbourhood shopping centre, anchored by a Coles supermarket and speciality stores, providing 160 local jobs.
Stockland has also made provision in the masterplan for 39 hectares of open space, and has already opened several parks, including Jamboree Park, Willowdale Regional Park and a dog park.
Whoopi do
Looks like pollys digging their own graves
Pity they can’t re-plant some of the old growth trees they helped uproot from the area!
Hectares of old growth on the Georges River lost for Moorebank Intermodal. Now we have Koalas trying to escape it and the fire only to be killed on our roads.
And yet this kind of stunt is what we hear about…?
When I was visiting last week it was obvious why the developers rip out every tree because the houses are so close together on the small lots that it is impossible to have trees on lots. On the new development opposite Lakeside Golf club on land that was a nice farm is now a treeless horror moonscape that is to be covered with roof tiles. To think I started out in Campbelltown sell home and 600sq metre lot for $6000 on $600 deposit. Thems were the days