Council News Issue No: 148
CITY OF WAGGA WAGGA
FIRST PRINTED SATURDAY 10 JUNE 2017
Weekly information from us to you
THROUGH FOG AND FROST: Outdoor staff have been braving the weather over the past week, with arborists including Scotty Urquhart (left) and Perry Niania planting more than 500 trees across the city as part of the annual street tree program. Meanwhile road crews have been working through the night to complete asphalt works at the Fernleigh Road/Bourke Street intersection (inset). INSIDE: "Crews work through the night"
Wagga's treescape grows From the suburbs to the CBD, Wagga Wagga will soon be home to more than 60,000 street trees. The City of Wagga Wagga’s annual winter planting program is underway until the end of June, with staff working their way through this year’s batch of 550 new street trees. Commercial Operations Sector Manager Caroline Angel said
it’s important the right tree is planted in the right location – with everything from power lines to summer shade considered. “Our street tree strategy and master plan helps inform staff about which species are planted and where,” she said. “The strategy talks about things like geographical and ecological features of areas of the city, which helps us decide which species grow best for what suburbs. “We look at power lines, what’s on the other side of the street,
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we look at sun and shade and environmental factors like soil type.“ Street trees are one of Wagga Wagga’s most important assets during summer, helping combat the “heat island effect” caused by bitumen and buildings. “In a city like Wagga we have hot summers and cold winters so we like our sun in winter with deciduous species, but we love our shade in the summer,” Ms Angel said. “Roads and buildings retain a
lot of heat and trees help alleviate that, so these annual plantings really add to the liveability of our city. “Street trees also benefit the local habitat by providing a green corridor for birds and wildlife, as well as beautifying our community.” Trees planted this year include a mixture of species. Native plantings include eucalypts, water gums, bottlebrushes and melaleucas; while the exotics are ash, ornamental pear, oak, and elm trees, Chinese tallowwood and
crepe myrtles. Trees are purchased from quality regional nurseries and staff ensure the new plantings are well-looked after until they are established. The trees are watered every month during summer for the first two years and are also pruned regularly to ensure they become a long-standing part of Wagga’s impressive “treescape”. Residents can contact Council on 1300 292 442 to request for a street tree in their neighbourhood during next year’s program.
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