Community group plants record number of street trees
Umina Community Group has planted a record number of street trees to coincide with National Tree Day on Sunday, July 29.
A team of 21 residents and community group members joined together in Augusta St and Sydney Ave, planting 18 semi-advanced trees in nature strips.
Residents selected their tree from a list of suitable native species, with trees supplied by a Somersby nursery called Sustainable Natives.
Central Coast Council supported the event by providing assistance with tree positioning.
Grow Urban Shade Trees group co-founder Ms Debbie Sunartha organised the event on behalf of the Umina Community Group.
She said she was confident the successful trial street-planting event demonstrated to Council the groundswell of support from the Peninsula community for greener streets.
"With 21 volunteers turning out for the day, and from the overwhelmingly positive feedback we had from more residents, it's clear that Peninsula residents genuinely appreciate the benefits of street trees," Ms Sunartha said.
"Planting trees represents what community is all about.
"It forges friendships between neighbours, helps the environment and makes our suburbs more attractive for locals and visitors," she said.
"Rising temperatures are increasingly affecting suburban areas.
"Studies show that leafier streets are not only cooler, but can contribute to property values up to $16,000 higher than on barren streets.
"With neighbouring local council area, the Shire of Hornsby, announcing a target of 25,000 new trees to be planted before 2020, we are asking our own local residents to get in touch with Central Coast Council and encourage it to follow suit."
Fellow tree group founder Ms Jennifer Wilder said: "With larger houses and smaller gardens, as well as a trend for larger areas of hard ground cover and reflective surfaces in housing design, our suburbs are heating up.
"The shade provided by street trees is essential to combat this heat, plus it reduces electricity bills by decreasing the need for air conditioning," Ms Wilder said.
"The National Tree Day street planting event was the third annual event of its kind organised by Umina Community Group.
"To date the group has planted more than 170 street trees on the Peninsula."
Community Group project co-ordinator Ms Melissa Chandler said the Group's key priorities this year include upgrading Trafalgar Avenue park with support of Central Coast Council, regeneration of coastal dune habitat in the local area, street tree plantings and urban landscape improvements, community education initiatives to teach residents how to remove graffiti, developing strategies to increase kerb and guttering in Umina, participating in Central Coast Council's Coastal Zone Planning process to protect Umina and Ocean Beach foreshores.
Further information is available at: http://www.uminacommunitygroup.com.au/ or via email contacts@uminacommunitygroup.com.au.
The group meets bi-monthly at Club Umina.
For further information about Central Coast Council's urban shade plans, ask Central Coast Council on (02) 4325 8222.
To become involved with street planting, email gust@uminacommunitygroup.com.au
SOURCE:
Media release, 6 Aug 2018
Melissa Chandler, Umina Community Group