Blacktown City Council is developing an Urban Forest Strategy to plan how we will continue to grow and look after our urban forest, and how you can help to achieve this. Together - community, Council and other stakeholders - can grow a healthy, green and resilient urban forest that is well managed, protected and provides maximum benefits to our community.
The urban forest is made up of all the trees and other vegetation in Blacktown. This includes street and park trees but most of the trees and vegetation are in your backyards, along public transport routes, in industrial areas and in conservation areas.
Please help shape our urban forest approach by completing the survey below. The survey will be open until 30 April 2023.
Our Urban Forest Fact sheets are available below to learn more about:
• The health of our urban forest
• The benefits of an urban forest
• How trees are currently managed in our City.
Our urban forest is falling behind other municipalities in metro Sydney. This means our communities and ecosystems are not receiving the maximum benefits that come from a thriving urban forest.
Blacktown's overall tree canopy cover is 17%. This is well below the metro Sydney average of 22%, and less than half of the desired Greater Sydney target, which is set at 40%.
Our urban forest is shrinking and without more support from residents, businesses, developers, Council, and other stakeholders, it will continue to shrink. Between 2010 and 2018, Blacktown lost tree canopy cover equivalent to 5 times the size of Nurragingy Reserve (222 acres).
With only 12% of municipal tree canopy cover is on Council managed and owned land. A massive 88% of our urban forest lives on private land. Council has delivered a small increase in tree canopy cover on land it owns and manages. Since 2010, Council has added approximately 144,000m2 in canopy cover.
The shrinking urban forest in Blacktown is due exclusively to tree loss on private land. There are not enough new trees being planted or growth in existing trees to mitigate the overall loss of tree canopy on private land.
Urban forests help cool our city during summer, reducing the risk of heatstroke and other heat related illnesses. Trees also absorb air pollution, support biodiversity, reduce stormwater runoff, and boost the economy. They deliver social cohesion benefits, help us connect to country, and improve health and wellbeing. There's even research to suggest that people who live around trees are less violent and experience less mental fatigue.
Growing and maintaining a healthy urban forest captures and stores carbon, helping to mitigate climate change. It also helps us adapt to the impacts of climate change and improve community resilience.
Functionality aside, most people enjoy trees and green spaces for their aesthetic value, which is good for locals and tourists alike.
Council, residents, and businesses play a role in growing and maintaining our urban forest. Visit the Blacktown City Council Tree Management webpage to find out more about trees on public land, driveways, nature strips, and tress on private land.
Urban Forest Survey
What is an urban forest?
The urban forest comprises all the trees and other vegetation in Blacktown. It includes street and park trees but most of the trees and vegetation are in backyards, along public transport routes, in industrial areas and in conservation areas. Our urban forest provides a huge range of benefits to us, the environment, and our local economy.
