Environment

Contributing to Council Objective 10.2.1 To review, coordinate and collaborate with the community on environmental and sustainability programs

PLANNING MAITLAND’S ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE

Technology has enabled the mapping of all trees in the city and identification of hotspots of urban heat in our suburbs. Information gathered will help with setting new targets for planting trees and planning our next revegetation programs. We will also look at energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities for Council buildings and homes across

Maitland as a part of our future Environmental Sustainability Strategy.

The strategy will capture environmental sustainability challenges, goals and strategies to address challenges and opportunities like urban heat, renewable energy, circular economy, management of green and blue spaces, revegetation and wildlife corridors.

In the near future we will be asking what you want to see in our Environmental

Sustainability Strategy, getting your ideas on how we can work together towards a greener Maitland. Keep up to date by registering at maitland.nsw.gov.au/maitlandyour-say.

Contributing to Council Objective 10.3.1 To provide opportunity for residents to participate in environmental education and awareness programs and projects

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS

Improving our green spaces through community planting days

In July 2021 the community came together through several community planting days at Bolwarra Heights, Telarah and Metford Oval on Schanck Drive. Schools also celebrated National Tree Day, with 11 schools across Maitland planting 420 council supplied seedlings into playgrounds on Schools Tree Day. Recognising the need for greenery in our suburbs, we will continue to provide opportunities for both community planting events and practical on ground environmental projects. We will soon be engaging the community to help us design environmental spaces within reserves at Weblands Street Aberglasslyn and Dunmore Road

Largs. Following the receipt of a grant under the NSW Resources for Regions fund, we will be developing joint environmental areas and community recreation spaces at these sites, which will ideally provide a space full of native flora that’s perfect for people to access and enjoy, while allowing our native fauna to flourish.

Hanging garden and green wall competition

Residents, schools and community groups were invited to participate in a Hanging Garden and Green

Wall Competition, and encouraged to incorporate recycled materials into their garden design. Apart from creating a new and interesting place in their garden, participants also created a garden that will provide shade and repel heat from hard surfaces, thereby creating cool areas for use on warmer days and reducing the internal temperatures of buildings. All registered participants received a free watering can, garden seeds, hand trowel and compost voucher. Photos of the gardens are due to be judged in late November with information on winning entries to be released following judging.

Get Grubby Program for Families

Council has joined the Get Grubby Program for Families! From the creators of dirtgirlworld and Get Grubby TV, the program is designed for 3 to 8 year olds and encourages the whole family to play together to learn about sustainability. The program has been specifically designed for families who are undertaking learning at home and provides a great source of environmental learning for our kids. Get Grubby celebrates nature and empowers young children to do little things at home that make a big difference, these include resources to engage kids in activities such as composting, worm farming, recycling, saving energy, saving water and much more. Anyone living in Maitland can access program for free and in doing so will receive monthly emails full of ideas, activities, songs, videos and exclusive resources.

drumMuster

A drumMuster collection day was held at Council’s Works Depot in May 2021. Residents were able to dispose of empty, clean, non returnable metal and plastic crop production and on farm animal health chemical containers free of charge. The program ensures eligible containers can be disposed of appropriately and that the potential for environmental contamination can be minimised.