'Love your trees', Willoughby Mayor tells residents

Last modified on 29 May 2024

Local residents have a civic responsibility to protect Sydney’s urban tree canopy, according to Willoughby City Council Mayor Tanya Taylor.

In a speech given at today's launch of the Council’s Canopy of Life Tree Festival, Mayor Taylor announced work designed to inspire residents to be more eco-conscious by educating them effectively about trees, as well as new investment in council enforcement of tree protection laws.

As part of her speech, the Mayor:

• Mobilised residents to combat the climate emergency by telling them “everyone has a responsibility” to safeguard the future of Willoughby’s urban tree canopy
• Announced Willoughby City Council’s intention to increase levels of public understanding about the various ways trees improve lives in local communities by generating clean air, controlling erosion, and combatting the ‘urban heat island’ effect
• Confirmed the Council is allocating a new staff resource dedicated to tree vandalism investigations and tree protection compliance

The Canopy of Life Tree Festival is the first of its kind for Willoughby City Council, and features a packed programme of interactive walks, talks and workshops. Designed to inspire residents to feel more strongly about environmental issues, the programme includes a keynote talk from Greg Mullins, the charismatic former fire and rescue commissioner, at a day-long symposium titled Conversations on Trees, taking place on 5 June 2024.

Other speakers include Macquarie University’s Dr Michael Gillings. To see the full programme visit: https://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Canopy-of-Life-Tree-Festival

Notes to editors 

1. To access the full text of Mayor Taylor’s speech, please contact media@willoughby.gov.nsw.au
2. Willoughby City Council’s urban tree canopy currently covers 35% of the local government area, but nearly 13 hectares (483 tennis courts) have been lost in residential areas since 2011.
3. Willoughby City Council’s Love your Trees campaign is an ongoing educational program that provides residents with opportunities to learn more about trees and why they are important for local communities.
4. A number of local residents have written to the Council to showcase trees in their area that have special significance for the local community. These stories are published on the Council website at: https://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Canopy-of-Life-Tree-Festival/Resident-tree-stories
5. The Council has an Urban Tree Management policy which sets out a strategic framework to guide the protection, care, maintenance and management of trees throughout the Willoughby local government area.