(newcastle council)
Newy 87.8 FM – More than 160 staff from City of Newcastle and Hunter New England Health have joined forces to plant a community tiny forest in Wallsend as part of a $500,000 project.
The tiny forest will be one of two covering an area of 1,185m2 at Collier Street Park as part of the Greening Wallsend initiative, which will also add hundreds of new trees and biodiverse street gardens to the suburb.
City of Newcastle Executive Manager Environment and Sustainability Marnie Kikken said Wallsend experiences significant urban heat, biodiversity gaps and declining private vegetation cover.
The project will deliver 150 new street trees and 70 new park trees at locations such as Whitegates Reserve, a community planting opportunity at Neals Park, and almost 3,000m2 of biodiverse road verge gardens adjacent to the western corridor road upgrades.
More than 250 people attended National Tree Day events to plant trees, learn about local biodiversity and take part in guided walks, after local students were involved on Schools Tree Day.
City of Newcastle has partnered with local not-for-profit The Groundswell Collective to plan, deliver and monitor the tiny forests, which aim to support species including the squirrel glider.
The project is supported by $400,000 from the NSW Government's Greening our City Grants, with Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery noting it is the first time the funding has been extended beyond Sydney councils.
Once mature, the trees are expected to increase canopy cover in Wallsend by almost 13,000m2, contributing to City of Newcastle's canopy targets of 30% within road reserves and 40% in open space by 2045.
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