Urban Forest Strategy

Urban Forest Act

As well as investing in more trees on public land, we need our legal framework to help us grow and manage our trees.

On 1 January 2024, the Urban Forest Act 2023 replaced the Tree Protection Act 2005 following an extensive review of Canberra’s tree protection laws and the introduction of the ACT Urban Forest Strategy.

The new Act improves tree protection on both public and private land and will help protect Canberra's trees as the city continues to grow. It creates a sound framework to reach our ambitious target of 30% tree canopy cover or equivalent by 2045.

The key changes introduced by the Act are:

• New requirements to ensure trees approved for removal are replaced. Where new planting is not possible, a financial contribution will need to be made to support canopy cover elsewhere.
• Reducing the size requirements for protected trees on private land and to protect dead native trees that provide essential habitat elements for local fauna.
• Classifying all public trees as protected.
• Introducing a tree bond system to ensure trees are not damaged during construction work as our city continues to grow.
• Expanding the ACT Tree Register which celebrates and protects our most significant trees.
• Improving compliance provisions. For example, the introduction of penalties for people caught damaging a tree or breaching a tree protection plan or direction.

Benefits of the urban forest

The urban forest delivers a range of environmental, social and economic benefits. These include:

• providing shade and cooling our city
• providing habitat for local wildlife
• reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
• improving community health and wellbeing
• increasing property values
• reducing energy costs.

Planting more trees

In keeping with the Urban Forest Strategy, the ACT Government committed to planting 54,000 trees across the ACT from 2021 to 2024 to increase our tree canopy cover. Planting locations focus on areas where there aren't many trees or where existing trees are ageing or dying.

Our tree planting programs are informed by the online tree planting map. Canberrans can use the map to select a location they would like to see a tree planted. More than 4,300 requests have been made to date.

Shared care of trees

Everybody has a role to play in the management of trees. This includes schools, our community, developers, business and industry.

While many people in the community value trees and the benefits they bring, they are unaware of actions that can cause damage to tree health. For example, many Canberrans may not be aware that parking on street verges is prohibited. It damages the root systems of trees and shortens their lifespan. Placing material such as grass clippings around the trunk of a tree can also have negative impacts. It can increase heat and moisture which can lead to decay and/or insect infestation and a decline in tree health.

Community planting days

We work with volunteer groups who wish to plant and care for trees in public parks. For more information including a map of volunteer groups and how to start a new group, see volunteering.

Other resources

• 2023 Urban Tree Canopy Coverage Report (PDF 1.5 MB)
• Report on social, economic and environmental values of street trees (PDF 50.7 MB)
• Report on urban tree canopy coverage (PDF 6.8 MB)