What are the issues?

There is a vast richness of heritage and cultural layers embedded in the landscapes and trees of the NCA and broader Canberra. From the First Nations people, through to the time of the Griffins and Weston then onto Pryor and the NCDC, the landscape and trees carry many stories and values. There are numerous significant groups of trees that are protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and individual trees of heritage value.

As custodians of this living place there is a need to plan for not only the immediate future but for the next century and beyond. It is essential for the Tree Management Policy to guide the evolution and transition of the dynamic urban forest, to a composition more suited to projected climatic and environmental conditions while retaining heritage and cultural qualities that are so unique to Canberra. In addition to the provision of heritage and cultural values there are contemporary expectations of environmental service provision from trees that contribute to liveability and health and wellbeing.

What does best practice look like?

1. A strategy to conserve and strengthen heritage and cultural values, including indigenous values where appropriate, while accounting for other values such as climate change adaptation, health and wellbeing and biodiversity
2. Landscape reflection of the diversity of Australia, its peoples, natural environments, cultures and heritage
3. Guiding removal and replacement of trees to conserve cultural and heritage values whilst informed by contemporary science
4. Enhance the existing character and quality of the landscape through urban tree management excellence
5. Transition the values of a mature landscape into new generation, climate adapted, functional landscapes
6. A shared community understanding of the way forward.

How could these issues be addressed?

1. Using cultural heritage as a guide, review the performance and function of landscapes through time while looking at the underlying principles that guided original landscapes intentions to evaluate which factors are embedded for future use and which are obsolete for the future of Canberra
2. Develop representative advisory groups for ongoing support
3. Develop a tree palette that considers both climate change and heritage/cultural values
4. Develop principles for tree management to guide heritage management plans
5. Develop understanding of the spatial qualities of the existing and future landscape to guide successional plantings
6. Develop principles to guide inclusion of indigenous values
7. Develop guidelines to enhance multiple benefit provision of trees whilst respecting heritage and cultural values.