The City of Stonnington has prepared an Urban Greening Framework, providing a coordinated approach to protecting, enhancing and expanding urban greenery across the municipality.
The Framework recognises that urban greening is essential urban infrastructure, critical to cooling our neighbourhoods, building climate resilience, creating healthier places and maintaining Stonnington’s much loved leafy green identity.
Why Council has developed the framework
Stonnington currently has 550 hectares of tree canopy covering 21.5 per cent of the municipality, equivalent to around 310 Melbourne Cricket Grounds. While tree planting in public spaces has increased over the last decade, tree canopy cover in our private gardens has decreased and is expected to decline further under current planning settings. This is particularly significant given private gardens are Stonnington's largest source of urban greenery. Council-owned land is finite and long-term canopy growth will depend on a collective effort. Residents, businesses and developers must also play a role in protecting existing trees and creating space for new canopy trees.
How we will meet these challenges
Stonnington’s Urban Greening Framework sets out recommendations needed to protect and grow Stonnington’s trees and green spaces, while still accommodating population growth, a strong local economy, and a response to our changing climate.
Actions of the Framework are embedded in Sustainable Stonnington 2040 Biodiverse Green and Connected Action Plan, which is currently open for community consultation.
Learn more