Trees are a vital part of our community. They help make our neighbourhoods greener, healthier and more enjoyable places to live. They also support local wildlife and bring real value to our environment and economy.

By planning ahead for both existing trees and new ones, we can make sure our community gets the most out of them now and into the future.

Council is responsible for managing trees on land it owns or maintains. By focusing on these areas, we can achieve the best outcomes for our community and ensure trees are well cared for.

Trees on private property can be more complex to manage. While Council has limited control, they may be considered in future projects or initiatives. Currently, State planning policies and regulations help guide how trees—both existing and new—are managed on private land.

Council currently manages more than 160,000 trees across public land, and this number is growing every year.

These trees play an important role in our parks, streets and open spaces, and are cared for by Council.

There are also many trees on private properties throughout the municipality, although these haven’t been fully counted.

There are several main agents of tree planting of public areas across the City of Melton:

• Council: Annual tree planting program, tree planting associated with capital development projects (new roads, parks and community facilities)
• Private developers: Tree planting of residential estates, commercial and industrial developments
• State Government: Tree planting associated with major projects

Other tree planting occurs through environmental programs and projects that are either Council- or volunteer-led.

We aim to plant trees that are the best fit for each location.

To do this, we look at a range of factors, including:

• Local conditions: We choose trees that grow well in Melton’s soil and climate, and can cope with future climate change.
• Benefits for the area: We consider what the tree will provide, such as shade and cooling, habitat for wildlife, visual appeal, or privacy screening.
• Neighbourhood character: We take into account the look and feel of existing trees in the street, park or area.
• Space available: We check there is enough room for roots and growth, including the size of the nature strip.
• Nearby infrastructure: We avoid conflicts with powerlines, underground services and other infrastructure.
• Tree lifespan: Where possible, we choose longer-living tree species.
• Diversity: We plant a mix of tree species to create a healthy, resilient urban forest across streets, suburbs and the wider municipality.

Canopy cover is the amount of land shaded by tree leaves and branches when viewed from above. It’s usually shown as a percentage—for example, 30% canopy cover means 30% of an area is covered by tree canopy.

The State Government has set a goal for new developments to reach at least 30% canopy cover. This is part of a broader aim to increase tree coverage across urban areas, helping create greener, cooler and more liveable communities.

Canopy cover targets set goals for how much tree coverage we aim to have in a particular area.

The City of Melton is working towards setting canopy cover targets for different types of public land. These targets will vary depending on the space—for example:

• A local park may have a different target than a sports reserve
• A quiet residential street may have a different target than a main road

Setting these targets helps guide where and how we plant trees, ensuring the right balance for each space in our community.

Tree planting across Melton happens in many different ways, with support from Council, the State Government, developers and contractors.

This includes:

🌳 Council’s yearly tree planting program
🌿 The More Trees for a Cooler Greener West program (a joint effort between Council and the State Government)
🏡 New housing estates and commercial developments by private developers
🚧 Council projects, such as new community facilities, road upgrades, and improvements to parks and playgrounds

All of these efforts help grow and strengthen our urban forest for the future.

Planting of trees is carried out during Autumn and Winter. All newly-planted trees are put onto a two-year watering and maintenance program, creating conditions for them to grow into healthy, mature trees that provide wide-ranging benefits to communities and nature over many decades.

No. The project is focussed on public land that owned and/or managed by Council.

This project is just getting started, and we’d love to hear from you!

Right now, you can share your thoughts about trees by completing our online survey and using the interactive map.

There will be more chances to get involved and have your say as the project continues.

Requests for all issues related to trees can be raised via customer service and will be directed to Council’s urban forest team:

• Phone: 03 9747 7200
• Email: contact@melton.vic.gov.au
• In Person: Visit the Civic Centre located at 232 High Street, Melton, VIC 3337