Council's annual native Plant Giveaway on-track for autumn
Following a successful trial of free tree vouchers, Council has doubled its native Plant Giveaway for residents, with the next round available in autumn 2022.
Details of the Plant Giveaways are being sent to all ratepayers with their rate notices. Registrations will open in March and residents will receive plenty of notice about how to sign up, as we get closer to the giveaways.
Kingston Mayor Steve Staikos said that increasing the city's tree canopy was a priority for Council and complements Kingston's long-term commitment to reduce the impacts of climate change.
"The City of Kingston has joined hundreds of councils around the world in declaring a climate and ecological emergency," said Cr Staikos. "We introduced a tree giveaway for residents in 2019 and following feedback from residents, we've expanded the program to include native trees, shrubs, grasses and groundcovers as well as doubling the number of plants available."
The giveaways will take place in autumn, which is the optimal time for planting.
Sandpiper Ward Councillor David Eden, who first brought this idea to Council in December 2018, said he is delighted that the program has been a success. "It has been wonderful to see residents taking up the opportunity to include more native trees and plants in their gardens and to play an important role in supporting local biodiversity," Cr Eden said.
"Our community has also embraced our Gardens for Wildlife program, an initiative which encourages and supports residents to enhance their gardens to provide shelter, nesting habitat and food sources for native wildlife. This Plant Giveaway may provide you with the perfect indigenous plants to add to your garden to help our local wildlife thrive."
