Grants are available for councils to green and beautify urban areas, making them cooler with more shade. Photo: NSW Government.
The Labor Government in NSW is fighting urban heat and increasing tree canopy with the Greener Neighbourhoods Grant Program, which has been expanded to 10 councils in the Hunter-Central Coast area and the Illawarra-Shoalhaven.
With the addition of these new areas, a total of 43 councils from Wollongong through to Newcastle can apply for more than $2.5 million in grants to green their communities, thereby beautifying their spaces and reducing heat.
Research has shown that tree cover can reduce ground-level temperatures by up to 6 degrees Celsius, and communities with more than 30 per cent canopy experience improved outcomes in mental and physical health.
As an example, average temperatures are higher in Sydney’s west, which has less tree cover, than Sydney’s East.
“Urban greening delivers real, everyday benefits for communities, from cooler streets to more shade, and better public spaces where people can connect and spend time outdoors,” Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said.
“The Minns Labor Government has expanded the Greener Neighbourhoods Grant Program to the Illawarra-Shoalhaven and Hunter-Central Coast for the first time to make sure these key growth areas have the tools they need to fight urban heat and boost tree canopy and green cover.”
Up to $60,000 in grants can be provided to eligible councils to support strategic planning for urban canopy.
The government said that as these areas grew and became more urbanised, it was vital to invest in urban greening now, both to improve the areas in the near future and to provide a basis for further expansion.
This funding is part of the government’s Greening Our City program, worth $60 million, which is increasing biodiversity and growing tree canopy to reduce the impacts of climate change and urban heat.
“These grants will help councils plan for more climate-resilient neighbourhoods, complementing the Minns Labor Government’s housing reforms and helping growing communities stay greener, cooler and more vibrant,” Mr Scully said.
Greener Neighbourhoods is funded through the NSW Climate Change Fund, and grant applications are open. Councils have until Friday, 2 August, to apply.
