The agenda for the upcoming council meeting includes the 2025/26 Annual Report. We have previously commented on the lack of detail (and therefore transparency) especially in relation to the Urban Forest Strategy and the goal of increasing our overall tree canopy to 22% by 2040.

The following is conclusive proof that we are indeed going backwards when it comes to our tree canopy. All of these figures are taken from the respective Annual Reports. What they clearly show is:

  1. A failure in the past 5 years to nominate the number of ‘replacement’ trees. Hence, we have no idea as to whether Glen Eira is increasing its number of trees, or falling further behind. Also, please remember that these numbers do not include what has been happening on private property.
  2. The numbers of ‘new’ trees planted was relatively steady (approx. 1000 per annum) up until 2019/20. Since then, it has been on a downward spiral.

Here is the data:

2011/12 – 1,684 street trees (526 replacement and 1,158 additional)

2012/13 – Plant 1,600 street trees (estimated to be 1,000 replacement trees and 600 additional trees).

2013/14 – We planted 1,681 street trees (1,080 replacement and 601 additional) and lifted the number of future plantings to 2,000 per year.

2014/15 – We planted 2,360 street trees (1,360 replacement and 1,000 additional)

2015/16 – We planted 1,050 replacement and 950 additional street trees.

2016/17 – . 2090 trees planted

2017/18 – . We planted 2,038 street trees (913 replacement and 1,125 additional)

2018/19 –  We planted 2,077 street trees (940 replacement and 1,137 additional).

2019/20 –  We planted 950 street trees (684 replacement and 266 additional) which was 1,050 under target due to COVID-19 restrictions.

2020/21 – We planted 1,854 trees (854 replacement and 1,000 additional).

2021/22 – 1008 trees planted

2022/23 – 872 trees planted

2023/24 – 2,241 trees planted

2024/25 – 1,189 trees planted in streets, parks and reserves

2025/26 –  1003 trees planted