Cairns Regional Council is making it easier for residents to green their neighbourhoods with two new vegetation policies adopted yesterday.
Council’s landscaping and gardens policy, adopted yesterday at Council’s Ordinary meeting, gives residents clarity when undertaking maintenance on road verges near their property or landscaping on public open spaces.
The policy also provides transparency for those who wish to establish and manage community and pocket gardens on Council-controlled land.
Mayor Bob Manning said trees contributed significantly to the region’s sustainability, community well-being and serenity.
“Cairns has Australia’s highest recorded level of green cover according to recent tree cover mapping,” Cr Manning said.
“Trees beautify our urban landscapes and contribute to our social, environmental and economic benefits, but they can also be a source of conflict among neighbours and cause damage to infrastructure when unsuitable species are planted.
“We want to give residents more freedom and more guidance around planting suitable trees and shrubs on verges and beautifying their neighbourhoods.”
Cr Manning said it was important to remember the main purpose of a road verge was to accommodate pedestrians and essential infrastructure.
“Therefore we encourage residents to choose local native or hardy tropical species that do not drop excessive leaf litter, fruit; have invasive root systems, thorny or poisonous features, or attract stinging insects,”
Council officers and volunteers plant 28,000- 30,000 trees annually, grown in the Stratford nursery, and actively managed more than 2,000 established trees in the CBD area alone.
“Our new management of trees policy will ensure a consistent approach to managing trees in a public space and the risks and benefits associated with green spaces,” Cr Manning said.
“We have also included criteria for trees that may be considered exceptional or highly significant based on the character, cultural heritage, age or size.”
Exceptional trees often carry a high level of community interest and therefore Council ensures any management actions being undertaken involve an appropriate level of engagement.
Council will rescind the current General Policies: Community Gardens General Policy and the Vegetation on Council Controlled Land: Planting, Removal and Maintenance General Policy, replacing them with the new General Policies: Management of Trees on Council Controlled Land, and Landscaping and gardens on Council Controlled Land.
