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Collapse Issue 476 - 12 Aug 2019Issue 476 - 12 Aug 2019
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Peninsula has hottest suburbs on the Coast
Consultation on intersection upgrade 'in six months'
Council to seek greater integrity in assessment process
Crouch welcomes Service NSW centre opening
Bouddi bushcare group wins regional award
Council retains tree register under new tree policy
Privacy screening no longer required for nursing home
Eight one-bedroom dwellings proposed for Umina
Applicant asks Council to review its refusal
Council completes sporting works program
Mehrtens welcomes call for Newstart increase
Historic family photos discovered at Mt Ettalong
David Dufty dies
Animal group calls for dogs to be walked on leash
Trivia night for animal care and protection
New rubbish bins damaged
Annual dinner dance
Storytime for children's book week
Community groups benefit from run
Alleged oil spill a matter for Council, says EPA
Tesch supports health and fitness program
Local tourism season launched
Rotary Club hears about history of aged care facility
Rotary raises money for Mary Macs
Umina Rotary may fund Somoan college projects
Month-long donation drive for Mary Mac's
Free movie screenings planned for Umina
CWA members create memorial quilt
Inquiries continue into forced entry
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
No community interest served by avoiding science
Local needs completely ignored
Thanks to Liesl Tesch
Not a moment to lose with climate emergency
Are governments planning for demographic change?
A tribute to David Dufty
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Di celebrates 25 years serving in chemist shop
Father and daughter raise $2500 for Stroke Foundation
Suicide prevention walk at Umina Beach
Old and young join in activities
Hospital introduces therapy dog
Nurses learn about endoscopy
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Glee Club concerts this week
Collapse   ARTS ARTS
Aunties film met with pride and sadness
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Local artists launch new art prize
Artists wanted to participate in festival
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Principal asks parents to obey traffic law
New principal starts at Pretty Beach
Canteen volunteers wanted
Students participate in road safety course
Animation workshop
Woy Woy complete debating challenge
Schools celebrate Education Week
Rugby League team competes in State carnival
Textiles students produce handbags
Students play in mass recorder group
Students plant native shrubs
Helping the homeless
Students complete walk
Aged care trainee is finalist
Upcycled art show
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Ettalong women not yet soccer champions
Umina wins seven pool rescue medals
Jemma competes in world canoe championships
Former Bunnies player debuts with Melbourne Storm
Woy Woy wins soccer championship
Woy Woy wins battle of the Lions
Collapse   SPORT SPORT
Everglades championships
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Floorball registration opens
Ducks recruit softball players
Surf club mourns loss of life member
Rugby club holds Old Boys' Day

Peninsula has hottest suburbs on the Coast

Ettalong, Umina, Booker Bay and parts of Woy Woy are the hottest suburbs on the Central Coast, all measuring more than four degrees above average, a new report has found.

The area of tree canopy cover at Woy Woy declined by 173 hectares between 2005 and 2014, while the area of impervious surfaces increased by 84 hectares and unplantable space increased by 113 hectares.

Woy Woy contained the greatest area of impervious cover on the Coast at 3.94 square kilometres followed by Umina at 3.54 square kilometres.

The Peninsula as a whole now has less than 10 per cent tree canopy cover.

Those are the figures provided in Central Coast Council's draft Greener Places Strategy which is now open for public comment.

A consultants' report within the strategy states that "this pattern of land cover change, particularly the significant tree canopy loss, has substantial implications for the future liveability ... and the health and well-being" of the urban environment and the local community.

The strategy states Woy Woy's land area as 22.9 square kilometres (2290 hectares), while Wikipedia puts it at six square kilometres (600 hectares).

The report states: "The suburb of Woy Woy contains two lobes, one urban (eastern) and one vegetated (western). Considered individually, the urban lobe may be one of the hottest in the council (area)."

It noted that Woy Woy had a relatively low level of canopy cover, but it would have been even lower if a large area of Brisbane Water National Park was not included.

Blackwall, Booker Bay, Ettalong Beach, St Hubert's Island, Umina Beach and Woy Woy were among the top 18 suburbs identified for planting to increase their tree canopy.

Urban heat island mapping has shown that on hot days the forest within Blackwall Mountain is more than four degrees cooler than urban housing in Ettalong Beach.

In the five years between 2013 and 2018, the report found that temperatures at Ettalong and Booker Bay had increased further compared to background levels in bushland.

Ettalong increased by 2.6 degrees while Booker Bay increased by 1.8 degrees.

Urban development was the primary cause for warmer suburbs, according to the report prepared by Seed Consulting Services which was included in the draft.

The report said dark coloured, impervious surfaces such as bitumen roads and dark roofs could absorb large amounts of heat, while artificial turf, rubber soft fall matting used in playgrounds, and bare ground could also be amongst the hottest land surface types in an urban landscape.

"Importantly for the urban heat island effect, bitumen roads retain this heat into the evening and re-radiate heat well into the night.

"In contrast, green space featuring living turf were cooler than average during the day and night."

About 74 per cent of the Central Coast consists of native vegetation, of which about half occurs in conservation areas managed as reserves, State Forests and National Parks.

Outside of these areas, urban trees may provide habitat for other threatened species, the report said.

These included the eastern osprey which may roost or nest in very tall Norfolk Island pines in the Blackwall area or the grey-headed flying fox, swift parrot and little lorikeet which may forage on flowering eucalypts.

The report said urban forests may act as a stepping stone between patches of bushland, allowing wildlife to disperse or migrate across the region.

The strategy proposes mechanisms to "sustain and enhance the urban forest canopy across all land parcels in the urban suburbs".

It aims to increase the level of tree planting in the 18 priority suburbs with the greatest level of Urban Heat Island Effect;

It will implement successional planting in Council passive open space reserves;

Public trees that are removed would be replaced by planting two new trees in the same suburb.

Private developers would be required to complete "high quality landscaping" in medium and high density development through future changes to Council's Development Control Plan.

More information may be found and submissions about the strategy may be made at www.yourvoiceourcoast.com/GreeningCentralCoast

The draft strategy is on public exhibition until September 5.





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