26 September 2023

Water top up for ‘stressed’ street trees

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Access Canberra is to step up its watering schedule to assist in the recovery of Canberra’s ‘stressed’ roadside trees following the bushfire season.

Minister for City Services, Chris Steel said despite recent rain, some trees still required additional watering.

“The Government is stepping up efforts to retain and enhance Canberra’s incredible tree canopy,” Mr Steel said.

“Despite recent rain, many trees are still struggling and will require extra care, with hotter and drier conditions expected to be the new norm.”

Mr Steel said tree watering contracts had been active all summer, with teams watering more than 22,000 trees aged under five years old.

He said trees would now be watered every four weeks until the end of autumn, rather than every six as had been carried out previously.

“Despite good rainfall this month, the ground is often so dry the rain runs straight off the surface and a lot of the moisture never makes it down to the tree roots,” Mr Steel said.

He said two additional watering trucks would also be used to hydrate 6000 stressed mature trees and remnant native/registered trees that had been identified to be most at risk of not surviving.

“As well as extra watering services to older street trees, the tree team will also spread mulch to assist in lowering evaporation and improve water retention within the soil profile.”

He said initial areas targeted for additional attention were Eddison Park in Phillip; City Hill; Ainslie Avenue; Limestone Avenue; Telopea Park; Black Mountain Peninsula; Hilltop Reserve in Crace; and the Commonwealth Avenue clover leaf trees north of Albert Hall.

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