Did you know that many of our street trees are older than your grandparents?
Click the links below to discover more!
Healthy trees, healthy people
Trees help us in many ways. They give us oxygen to breathe, shade us from heat and help reduce climate change. Trees can connect us with local Indigenous history and culture, with some trees more than a hundred years old.
Trees and plants in cities are important for biodiversityAll of the different types of life in the environment. It includes plants, animals, and micro-organisms (really small things like bacteria and fungi). because they provide animals with food and a place to live. Trees are also important for our wellbeing – they improve our health and make us feel happier.
Image: Oak tree, Photo: David Burke
Canberra, the ‘bush capital’
Did you know that in the early 1900s, there were almost no trees in Canberra because they were cleared for farming?
Then, in 1911 when Canberra was established, 2 million trees were planted. This was the beginning of Canberra’s urbanAreas of land that have been built on to create a city or town. forest.
Image: Canberra street, Photo: Prescott Pym
Caring for young and old
We must look after the old and large trees. This is because they are home to many animals, with their sheltered hollows, cradling branches, thick bark and dense leaves.
Without such trees, many animals would have nowhere to live, nor food to eat. It is also important to plant new trees so that when old trees die there are more large trees for animals to live in.
HOLLOW HOMES
Learn the names of some of the critters that live in tree hollows!
Owlet nightjars often roost in tree hollows during the day to stay safe from predators
Superb parrots nest in Canberra tree hollows and use the same tree every time.
Microbats sleep up-side-down in large groups during the day
Sugar gliders sleep in tree hollows during the day
Australian wood ducks lay their eggs in tree hollows and their chicks have to jump down once they hatch!
Bogong moths use tree hollows during the day when traveling south
Images: Owlet nightjars by Helen Cross, Superb parrot by Ryan Colley, Microbat by Matt Clancy, Sugar glider by Damien Esquire, Wood ducks by James Walsh, Bogong moths by CSIRO
TREES KEEP US COOL
In the city there are lots of concrete surfaces that absorb (or take in) heat.
This heat is then released throughout the day and night, warming the surrounding area. This means that on a hot sunny day, the city is usually warmer than other areas such as parks and farming lands which have far less concrete and more vegetation. We call this the urbanAreas of land that have been built on to create a city or town. heat island effect. This is why urbanAreas of land that have been built on to create a city or town. trees and greenery are important – they reduce this heating effect.
CANBERRA’S TREES AND climateThe usual weather that happens in an area over a long time, usually many years. Climate change is when this usual weather changes. CHANGE
Many tree and other plant species in Canberra are at risk of dying because of increased heat and reduced rainfall caused by climate change.
climateThe usual weather that happens in an area over a long time, usually many years. Climate change is when this usual weather changes. change has reduced the health of some of the ACT’s Eucalypt species, as well as large introduced tree species planted across Canberra.
We must think about which trees will be able to survive in a drier, warmer climateThe usual weather that happens in an area over a long time, usually many years. Climate change is when this usual weather changes. so we can start planting them now. Some of the nativeAnimals and plants that live in, and are originally from, an area. The area could be large, like Australia, or it could be small, like a specific national park. trees recommended for planting in Canberra include the River She-oak and the Kurrajong.
CANBERRA’S NON-NATIVE STREET TREES
When walking to school, or in the playground, do you ever pick up acorns? They come from large oak trees found all around Canberra.
Oaks, and other species such as Elms and Plain Trees, are not nativeAnimals and plants that live in, and are originally from, an area. The area could be large, like Australia, or it could be small, like a specific national park., and some were even planted over 100 years ago as part of Canberra’s urbanAreas of land that have been built on to create a city or town. forest. Although we now know it is better to plant nativeAnimals and plants that live in, and are originally from, an area. The area could be large, like Australia, or it could be small, like a specific national park. trees, introduced trees still help cool our city and provide habitatThe natural home or environment of a plant or animal. and food for nativeAnimals and plants that live in, and are originally from, an area. The area could be large, like Australia, or it could be small, like a specific national park. animals.
Image: Canberra street oak trees, Photo: Prescott Pym
Trees and urbanAreas of land that have been built on to create a city or town. development
With Canberra’s population growing year by year, there is increasing pressure on trees from the building of new houses and expanding suburbs.
When new urbanAreas of land that have been built on to create a city or town. areas are built, trees are cleared to make way for buildings, roads and shops. Although new trees are often planted to replace those removed, it means that old trees – which are important for biodiversityAll of the different types of life in the environment. It includes plants, animals, and micro-organisms (really small things like bacteria and fungi). – are lost.
Old trees are important because they are a home for nativeAnimals and plants that live in, and are originally from, an area. The area could be large, like Australia, or it could be small, like a specific national park. birds and possums. Any new trees planted will need 20 or more years of growth to replace the benefits provided by the old trees.
What can we all do to help our urban trees?
- Protect older trees.
- Plant more trees, ready to replace the older ones.
- Plant more shrubs (not just grass) in urbanAreas of land that have been built on to create a city or town. places, as they provide habitatThe natural home or environment of a plant or animal. for nativeAnimals and plants that live in, and are originally from, an area. The area could be large, like Australia, or it could be small, like a specific national park. species.
- Create conservation areas where grasslands and forests are kept natural and are protected from being cleared. These areas care for nature and provide a place for plants to grow and animals to live.
- Manage invasivePlants and animals that are not native to Australia. These are also known as introduced species. plant and animal species that can damage plants and trees.
- Talk to the community (family, friends, teachers) about why it is important to look after our plants and trees.
You and your family can also join a volunteer group that needs help from the community to plant and look after trees. Search for a volunteer group in your area today!
Here are some to get you started:
Note that most volunteering opportunities in the ACT will require you to be accompanied by someone over the age of 18.
LET’S GET OUTSIDE
Visit the Botanic Gardens or the National Arboretum to learn more about native and non-native trees.
Image: Botanic Gardens, Photo: Laurie Wasson
Activities
Temperature and trees, detective colours
This activity shows how trees keep the environment cooler on hot days. Look closely at the pictures of the two maps to reveal an environmental pattern.
The map on the left shows how hot the land is (also called surface temperature). Red means warmer temperatures and blue shows cooler temperatures – the darker colour shades show the hottest (dark red) and coolest (dark blue) temperatures.
The second map shows where there are trees and other plants. Green means there are more trees and red or purple shows areas with fewer trees – the darker colour shades show the highest (dark green) and lowest (dark purple) tree cover.
Look at where the blue colours are on the first map. Then look at where the green colours are on the second map. What do you notice? Can you see a pattern?
You should see that the blue and green colours are in similar areas of the ACT.
This shows that temperatures are cooler in areas where there are lots of trees and plants. This is because trees and other plants help to protect the land from the sun’s heat. But where there are no trees, the temperature of the land is warmer.
PLANTING URBAN TREES
This activity shows which plants are best for your urban area.
The ACT Government has a list of suitable plants and trees that people can choose from to plant on their property.
Use the Actsmart Canberra Plant Selector Guide to choose plants suitable for the Canberra region. This online guide provides information about the best species to plant.
Recommended nativeAnimals and plants that live in, and are originally from, an area. The area could be large, like Australia, or it could be small, like a specific national park. trees for planting in Canberra are the River She-oak and the Kurrajong. Have you seen any of these trees around where you live? Do you have one of these on your house block? If not, you should investigate planting one!
Ideas tree – What can you do to help trees and plants?
This activity improves our knowledge of what we can do to help urbanAreas of land that have been built on to create a city or town. trees.
Draw an ideas tree like the one to the right (or make your own up!). For each leaf on the picture, come up with one action to help Canberra’s urbanAreas of land that have been built on to create a city or town. trees. Write the action next to a leaf.
Talk to your family, friends and teachers about how we can all help care for Canberra’s trees. Draw extra leaves and branches if you come up with more ideas!
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Plant more nativeAnimals and plants that live in, and are originally from, an area. The area could be large, like Australia, or it could be small, like a specific national park. trees.
- Remove weeds.
- Talk to others about how important trees are.
