Tree planting program

More than 4000 trees will be planted as part of SRL East, helping create cool, green and inviting public spaces.

For every tree impacted by construction, we will plant at least three in its place. This will double the canopy in and around the SRL station precincts. Planting will begin soon after construction has started.

We are working closely with local councils to determine the best places to plant the extra trees and help create greener communities. We’ll be guided by locals, so the plantings complement the look and feel of their neighbourhoods.

But we’re not just counting how many trees we plant – we’re counting what they do.

Doubling the tree canopy will increase the protection offered by the branches and leaves which provide shade, cooling and cleaner air.

And we’re in it for the long haul. New plantings will be a combination of seedlings and young trees to ensure they thrive and grow into mature trees.

FAQs

How many trees will be impacted by SRL East?

We’re doing everything we can to minimise the loss of trees and vegetation during construction of SRL East.

Around 3300 trees near the project were assessed. More than half of these will be retained.

Around 1400 trees may be impacted by construction. We will begin replanting in these areas as soon as possible, working closely with qualified arborists to carefully plan and manage planting to ensure trees reach maturity.

Why is tree canopy important?

Tree canopy is what you see when you look up – the cover from branches and leaves.

It is used as a measure for replanting and replacing trees to better understand things like the amount of shade expected, cooling effects of trees, habitat created, and impacts on carbon dioxide and stormwater.

Over time, the trees planted for SRL will grow to provide twice as much cover as those to be removed, helping to create cool, green and inviting public spaces in the broader precincts around each station.

Will any of the replacement trees be mature? Will they be the same sorts of trees?

New plantings will be a combination of seedlings and young trees to ensure they thrive and grow into mature trees.

SRLA will work with local councils and community to ensure the new trees fit in with the character of the locations. Replanting will start soon after construction has started.

Planting mature trees does not normally produce healthy, long term and sustainable outcomes.

Where will they go? Will local communities have their say?

Doubling of tree canopy means more trees will be planted than removed, so they won’t all fit in the exact areas where trees were or around the new stations.

We’ll be working with local councils and communities about where to plant trees, with priority given to planting as close as possible to where removal has taken place.

There will be opportunities for people to have their say on tree planting.

What happens to the removed trees? Are they destroyed/recycled/donated?

We’ll look for opportunities to use the trees removed during construction in meaningful ways. SRLA will also work with local councils and communities to develop a tree removal plan to make sure any wood from tree removal is used responsibly. Hollows used by nesting animals will be salvaged and reused.

Will significant trees be protected or relocated?

Through careful planning, we are minimising the removal of significant trees during construction of SRL East. Environmental assessments for the project found no trees of ‘very high’ arboricultural value would be impacted. Where possible, significant trees near works will be protected during construction.

Has any modelling been done on how many animals are estimated to be displaced during construction?

No threatened species have been found in the highly urbanised areas where SRL East stations will be built. Ecological studies showed that there would not be long term effects to animals.

FAQs

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