Tuesday, 17 October 2023

 Nathan LAMBERT (Preston) (15:12): (355) My question is also for the Minister for Environment, and my question is, what is the approximate level of tree canopy cover for the following suburbs: Reservoir, Preston, Thornbury, Northcote, Ivanhoe, Kew, Balwyn, Toorak, Camberwell and Canterbury? Our government recognises the importance of vegetation and trees to the urban environment. They reduce heat, they improve biodiversity and they provide amenity. For various historical and geographic reasons there has tended to be a lot more greenery in the east than there has been in the north and the west, but there is no reason for that inequality to continue, and indeed this government has been addressing it through our Trees for the West program, our suburban revitalisation initiatives and our Living Local initiatives. We look forward in Preston and Reservoir to working with the new minister to understand why different areas have different levels of tree cover and what further steps can be taken to improve the natural environment in Reservoir and Preston.