WA Tree Festival comes to a close

The second ever WA Tree Festival came to a close earlier this month, with data showing the festival has grown considerably since the inaugural event in 2022.

In 2023 the event grew to include 18 local governments, who delivered more than 150 events which were attended by over 7,000 people.

Visits to the event website www.watreefestival.com.au doubled from 2022, and an estimated 125,000 people witness the jumbo-sized advertising displayed on the Yagan Square Tower across the festival.

Mayor Mark Irwin said data and survey results were still coming in and being analysed by the partner local governments, but already it was clear the second festival was far more impactful than the inaugural event.

“The WA Tree Festival is a platform where we can unite and leverage our community partnerships, continue to educate the public, and advocate for a uniform and clear direction in Western Australia,” he said.

“To improve canopy across the whole of the state means that all levels of government, and all parts of the community, need to talk about the long-term benefits of tree retention and monetary value of retaining trees not only on the verge, but also behind the letterbox.

“What is clear once again from the overwhelming support and interest in the community is that there is broad support for tree retention, but there is lots of work to do to educate and engage with our residents about their individual decisions to retain trees on their properties.”

The festival is an initiative of the City of Stirling’s Urban Forest Plan, which sets out the initiatives the City has put in place to increase canopy cover, including our commitment to plant one million trees by 2025 on City land.

The initiative supports the City’s long-term strategic vision to be a sustainable City with a local focus. The plan identifies the importance of creating an accessible and connected built environment, with improved public transport options that reduce the reliance on vehicles.