Perth’s urban tree canopy is under growing pressure. Low canopy suburbs are already experiencing higher temperatures, reduced amenity, and increased health risks during summer — turning tree cover into an issue of equity as much as environment.
Perth’s urban tree canopy is under growing pressure. Low canopy suburbs are already experiencing higher temperatures, reduced amenity, and increased health risks during summer — turning tree cover into an issue of equity as much as environment.
Recent reporting by ABC News has raised fresh questions about whether current funding commitments will be enough to deliver the Western Australian Government’s stated tree canopy targets.
The gap between ambition and delivery
Ahead of the state election, the government committed funding to support a significant increase in Perth’s tree cover, including a pledge to plant one million new trees and lift canopy cover to 30 per cent by 2040.
However, expert analysis indicates that planting targets alone are unlikely to deliver those outcomes. Tree establishment, survival, and long-term protection all play a role — and without addressing existing canopy loss, gains made through planting can be quickly erased.
Why protecting mature trees matters
ArborCarbon Managing Director Professor Paul Barber has long emphasised that protecting mature trees is just as important as planting new ones.
Mature trees provide the greatest cooling, shade, and habitat benefits. Once removed, those benefits take decades to replace. Without consistent protections — particularly for trees on private land — overall canopy cover continues to decline, regardless of how many saplings are planted.
Current planning approaches place responsibility for tree protection largely with local governments, leading to inconsistent policies across the metropolitan area. In fast-growing suburbs with low canopy cover, this lack of protection compounds existing heat and health risks.
Canopy, housing, and planning are not opposing goals
Protecting trees and delivering housing are often framed as competing priorities, but they don’t have to be. Integrating canopy protection into planning frameworks allows cities to grow while still retaining the mature trees that make neighbourhoods liveable.
From ArborCarbon’s perspective, achieving long-term canopy targets requires:
- Clear, consistent canopy measurement methods
- Protection of existing mature trees alongside new planting
- Data-led monitoring to track canopy change over time
- Planning controls that recognise canopy as essential infrastructure
Turning data into better decisions
ArborCarbon supports governments and councils with high-resolution canopy mapping, vegetation condition assessment, and long-term monitoring. These tools provide a clear picture of where canopy is being lost, where planting is most effective, and which suburbs face the greatest heat risk.
Without this evidence base, canopy targets risk becoming aspirational rather than achievable.
You can view the ABC News video report that prompted this discussion here: ABC News – Fresh doubts over plan for Perth tree canopy
