Victoria needs more apartments, rental homes and middle-sized housing. Development should retain valuable mature trees wherever reasonably possible and replace canopy that cannot be preserved.

Tree requirements should be clear early in the approval process. Early arborist assessments and coordinated design can protect important trees while reducing delays, late redesigns and unnecessary costs.

A newly planted tree cannot immediately replace the benefits of a mature tree. Major developments should identify significant trees early and examine reasonable alternatives before removal is approved.

This is practical preservation, not absolute preservation. Trees may need to be removed because of disease, safety, infrastructure needs or because retaining them would make reasonable development impossible. When significant trees are removed, replacement should restore or increase the lost canopy and ecological value over time.

Canopy is unevenly distributed across Victoria. New planting should focus on streets and neighbourhoods with lower canopy, greater heat exposure and fewer green spaces. Targets should reflect the different realities of residential areas, growth centres, downtown and industrial lands.

When Victoria rebuilds streets, sidewalks and public spaces, tree planning should begin at the design stage. Successful urban trees require:

• Adequate soil volume and root space
• Species suited to the location and Victoria’s future climate
• Coordination with utilities, parking, transit and cycling infrastructure
• Long-term watering, maintenance and protection

Species diversity is also essential. Climate change, drought, heat, pests and disease make reliance on a small number of species risky. Native trees, including Garry oak where appropriate, should remain important, supported by carefully selected climate-adapted species.

Urban forest policy should be measured publicly. A City performance scorecard should report canopy by neighbourhood, trees planted, protected trees removed, replacement tree survival, mature trees retained through development, planting in low-canopy areas and progress toward the 2050 target.

The goal is clear: build the housing Victoria needs, protect the trees that matter, plant for the future and report honestly on whether our canopy is growing.