A draft MidCoast Greening Strategy developed by MidCoast Council will go on public exhibition for 28 days, with the community invited to have their say.
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Council examined the effectiveness of its current greening actions and reviewed 'best practice' from around NSW to develop the strategy.
The 43-page document outlines a focus on collecting data to better understand priorities across the Mid Coast and undertake trial projects to determine the techniques and activities that work more effectively than others.
Future versions of the strategy will build upon on these findings, with a shift to more on the ground projects that are led by the data and knowledge collected.
Council intends to undertake a review in five years time.
"The Greening Strategy acknowledges the importance of our natural environment to the local community," said Mayor David West in his opening message published in the draft document.
"It provides a forward-thinking plan of action that will help us target priority locations, and a platform for gathering evidence to inform a longer term approach to greening.
"Trees and vegetation not only improve the character and 'feel' of our urban centres, they provide recreational spaces and shade, improve air quality and local biodiversity, and play an important part in offsetting environmental pressures caused through climate change."
The MidCoast Greening Strategy sets out five principles to improve how council manages and enhances tree canopy cover and green spaces.
A simple reason for preparing the strategy is to retain and plant trees today, to create a positive legacy for future generations.
Other benefits include improved amenity and recreation, improved liveability and wellbeing, minimising the impact of climate change.
The five principles set out by council are:
Principle 1: Cooling our urban areas
Principle 2: Keeping what we have
Principle 3: Building partnerships
Principle 4: Right trees in the right place
Principle 5: Planning for the future
Council encountered technical difficulties during its Zoom broadcast and went ahead with the meeting without audio.
This meant councillors Kathryn Bell and Troy Fowler, who were on the call but not at the council chambers, could not participate in the vote.
Brad Christensen was absent from the meeting.
Councillors David West, Katheryn Smith, Karen Hutchinson, Claire Pontin, Len Roberts and Peter Epov all voted in favour of the recommendation for consultation on the strategy for 28 days.
The recommendation also included a clause that if submissions were received during consultation, a further report be submitted to council addressing the submissions.
In the event no submissions are received during consultation, the MidCoast Greening Strategy be adopted as exhibited and published on the council's website.
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