Conservation SA is thrilled by the announcement today from Planning Minister Nick Champion of much needed law reform to better protect our valuable urban canopy, effective immediately.
MEDIA RELEASE
17 May 2024
With the weakest laws in Australia we were consistently losing 75,000 trees a year.
Thanks to the law reforms announced today, Adelaide’s trees are now protected at a circumference of 1m or greater.
The 10 metre exemption distance for tree destruction has been reduced to 3m.
Canopy pruning is limited to a total of 30% every 5 years.
Both offset and removal fees have been increased to $1000 for regulated trees and to $1500 for significant trees.
These are significant steps that will positively impact life and healthy landscapes in Adelaide for every single one of us, and for the fauna that also depend on good tree canopy, thus also better protecting biodiversity.
Good urban tree canopy is the best way to mitigate the impacts of a changed climate and rising temperatures.
Our hard working and beautiful trees sequester carbon from the air, remove pollutants, take up rain, thus removing pressure on stormwater infrastructure, cool our streets, enabling active transport like bike riding and significantly improve our mental and physical health.
These law reforms means that the unrelenting loss of tree canopy across Adelaide will be greatly reduced and every single one of us will benefit from this. This is a key part of the legacy that we give our children and grand-children.
Conservation SA acknowledges the significant contribution made by our coalition partners, Trees for Life, TreeNet, the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and the Nature Conservation Society of SA, as well as the National Trust of SA and the Enviornmental Defenders Office.
Crucial to the success of the campaign was the groundswell of community support and action from many hundreds of concerned people.
For further comment, contact Joanna Wells, Outreach Coordinator, 0403 197 071