Urban Greening Strategy

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What is urban greening?

Urban greening is the practice of planning, planting and caring for vegetation and green spaces in areas that are well-populated and built-up. Collectively, all the different types of natural, designed or cultivated vegetation and green spaces create our ‘green infrastructure’. This includes parks, gardens, trees, green roofs and walls, wetlands, and urban forests. Urban greening is also about recognising and retaining nature and biodiversity in our city.

What are the benefits of urban greening?

Urban greening delivers an extensive range of community, environmental and economic benefits.

Trees and plants not only beautify our neighbourhoods; they reduce heat, strengthen our mental and physical health, promote active lifestyles and bring people together. Leafy places foster local character, create safe, welcoming streets and help share Noongar katitjin / knowledge through connection to Country.

Other benefits include:

• Reducing energy costs and increasing property values
• Supporting biodiversity and creating habitat for wildlife
• Creating attractive places to encourage infill development and support recreation and tourism
• Improving mental and physical health
• Increasing social cohesion and community engagement
• Improving air quality and filtering air pollutants
• Lowering runoff entering our waterways, which helps to prevent water pollution and reduce flooding

Read more in the ‘Benefits’ section of the Strategy, see Appendix 2.

Why do we need an Urban Greening Strategy?

The Government recognises that green and cool spaces and tree canopy are crucial to modern, healthy, resilient and nature-rich urban neighbourhoods. Through the ongoing Let’s Grow program, the Strategy coordinates State Government greening. It will also build on the strong work already underway across local governments and the community — so everyone is working in the same direction towards the targets and outcomes that benefit everyone.

What’s the ‘urban heat island effect’ and how does urban greening help with this?

Cities trap heat because dense materials like concrete, roads, buildings, paving and car parks absorb it and take longer to cool down than natural or open spaces — a phenomenon known as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. Trees and plants help reduce the UHI by providing shade and releasing moisture through their leaves (called transpiration) which cools the surrounding air. This can help cut down the need for air-conditioning, which in turn reduces the extra heat and energy pumped back into the environment. As the climate gets hotter, the cooling benefits of urban greening will become even more valuable.

How was the Strategy developed?

The Western Australian Planning Commission led the development of the Strategy on behalf of the State Government, with the support of the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. The Strategy was also shaped by six months of community and stakeholder consultation including 3,733 public survey responses. See appendix 4 of the Urban Greening Strategy for further details.

How will the Strategy be implemented?

The release of the Strategy marks the beginning of the ‘Let’s Grow — Leafy & liveable communities’ program, which brings the Strategy to life. The Western Australian Planning Commission (the Commission) is the lead entity responsible for coordinating State-led greening under Let’s Grow and is supported by the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage. Soon to be released, the Let’s Grow Action Plan will outline the tangible steps that the State Government will take. The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage will coordinate delivery of the Let's Grow Action Plan on behalf of the Commission. The Department will work with and support other State agencies, local governments, urban greening stakeholders and the broader Whadjuk and Bindjareb community, as well as monitor and report on progress.

What’s happening under Let’s Grow?

The Let’s Grow Action Plan will soon be published, but work has already begun. Like all long-term programs, the initial Action Plan will focus on building a strong foundation for the future and tackling priority actions early-on, such as:

• Funding to boost tree canopy, including Treebate incentive and Let’s Grow Grants.
• Partner with local governments to share resources and align efforts.
• Improve urban greening data to build a shared understanding and support smart decisions.
• Engage young people in urban greening through schools.
• Align government policies to the Strategy, and green public land and projects.
• Further integration of greening into urban planning and development.

How can I contribute and stay in touch with Let’s Grow?

Achieving our shared vision will need a cultural shift in how we plan, build and care for land in our urban areas. No single person, organisation or sector can deliver this alone. We encourage everyone to embrace urban greening and the many benefits it brings. Visit the How you can contribute page for actions you can take at home and in your neighbourhood. The ‘Let’s Grow — Leafy & liveable communities’ program brings the Strategy to life — subscribe to the Let’s Grow e-news to stay in touch.

Why does the Strategy apply to Whadjuk and Bindjareb?

The Strategy focuses on Whadjuk (Perth region) and Bindjareb (Peel region) as these areas are home to 80 per cent of the State’s population and where urban heat impacts are felt most. It also allows the State Government to gain learnings and pilot initiatives that can inform future approaches elsewhere.

While the Strategy applies to Whadjuk and Bindjareb, many of its actions, principles and programs — including the Treebate incentive and the Waterwise Greening Scheme — extend to communities across Western Australia. Other State planning and relevant policies also support greening outcomes beyond these regions.

What vegetation target is set out in the Strategy?

A key focus of the Strategy’s ‘Right Amount’ Greening Principle, the Strategy sets an ambitious target to increase tree canopy (plants three metres or higher) within Whadjuk and Bindjareb to 30 per cent by 2040.

Mature trees provide the most significant benefits — they offer shade, cooling, beauty and wildlife habitat, as well as critical ‘ecosystem services’ such as air purification, stormwater filtration, pollination and soil health.

Alongside tree canopy, low-level vegetation can be planted as these smaller, understorey plants — like shrubs, flowering plants and native grasses — provide cooling, habitat and many of the same ecosystem benefits as mature trees.

Some sites — such as wetlands and transport corridors — are best suited to plants like shrubs and reeds rather than large trees. Planting low-level vegetation also allows people who can’t grow tall trees to take part in the Let’s Grow program. Often, a love of gardening starts with a little area — and every small garden, planter box or balcony helps grow skills and contributes to a leafier city.

Does the Strategy only support native plant species?

The Strategy prioritises native species, particularly those endemic to Whadjuk and Binjareb, because they’re best suited to local conditions and can survive with little (or even no) human intervention like watering, fertiliser and maintenance. Vital to creating healthy, self-sustaining urban ecosystems, they are climate-resilient, provide habitat and food for wildlife, and strengthen biodiversity.

The Strategy also recognises the value of non-native species — especially where they provide shade, resilience in challenging conditions, seasonal beauty or drop their leaves in winter to let in the sun. As per the Strategy’s Greening Principles, what matters most is choosing the Right Kind to deliver long-term benefits for people and nature.

How does the Strategy encourage waterwise urban greening?

Urban greening and water management go hand in hand. The Strategy promotes urban greening without compromising water resources. The Strategy’s Greening Principles promote waterwise actions through species selection, site preparation and water sensitive urban design to make the best use of available water.

Let’s Grow complements and partners with successful initiatives like the Kep Katitjin – Gabi Kaadadjan Waterwise Action Plan (2024–27). It will also support and promote water-sensitive urban design in new developments, across government and in the community.

How does urban greening improve health and community wellbeing?

Shady tree canopy coverage is one of the most effective, natural ways to improve our health and wellbeing. Leafy, shaded streets make walking, cycling and outdoor activity safer and more appealing, encouraging active lifestyles and social connection. Green spaces provide calm, restorative environments that can reduce stress and fatigue, improving mental health and quality of life. Shade helps lower heat stress and the risk of heat-related illness, while also helping to protect against sunburn and the risk of skin cancer.

Areas with fewer trees and less shade often face higher temperatures, poorer air quality and greater health risks — particularly for vulnerable groups such as older people, children, pregnant women and those experiencing disadvantage. Strategic urban greening helps close the wellbeing gap between these places.

How does the Strategy support urban greening on private land?

Retaining and planting vegetation on private property is vital to achieving the Strategy’s targets.

The State Government has already begun embedding greening into the planning framework, which applies to private land. This work helps retain existing trees, set minimum tree-planting and garden-area requirements and ensure vegetation is considered from the earliest stages of design — rather than later in the process.

In addition, various State greening initiatives incentivise tree planting and retention on private land, including the Treebate incentive scheme, Waterwise Greening Scheme and Tree Recovery Program (see more in Appendix 6 of the Strategy).

How has the State Government already integrated urban greening into planning and development?

Urban greening is already being embedded across the State’s planning system through a range of existing policies and design standards, such as:

• Better Urban Forest Planning guide – helps local governments plan, monitor and manage urban forests to grow and protect tree canopy. There’s a Let’s Grow action to collaborate with the sector to update this.
• State Planning Policy 7.0 – Design of the Built Environment – lifts design standards for new buildings and requires projects to consider factors like water, soil, microclimate, solar access, urban heat and habitat creation.
• State Planning Policy 7.2 – Precinct Design – ensures precinct planning identifies environmental assets like trees and vegetation, and builds in opportunities for retention and planting to strengthen green networks.
• Residential Design Codes Volume 1 – introduces minimum tree planting and garden area requirements for new homes and major renovations, and includes incentives for tree retention in medium-density development.
• Residential Design Codes Volume 2 – Apartment Design Policy – includes provisions for tree retention and minimum requirements for deep soil zones, trees and landscaping.
• Neighbourhood Design – preparing a new State planning policy that guides the development of new neighbourhoods (‘greenfield developments’) to embed greening early in the planning and subdivision process before new housing areas are built.

The State Government will continue to review and improve the planning framework and relevant operational documents to ensure alignment with the Strategy.

How will the Government work with the building and development industries?

The State Government will work with industry to make urban greening standard practice in both infill and greenfield development. While some clearing is needed for housing and infrastructure, the Strategy encourages keeping mature trees and native bushland — and where loss is unavoidable, replanting on-site to retain the benefits locally.

Let’s Grow supports practical research and design trials to find innovative solutions so more trees can be retained on constrained sites. The State will continue collaborating with industry and experts to share knowledge, improve design standards and champion innovation that helps drive progress towards the Strategy’s targets.

What existing WA Government programs support urban greening?

In addition to planning and policy initiatives, a range of programs are already underway to accelerate greening outcomes, such as:

• Treebate: a rebate program to encourage households to plant and maintain trees on private property.
• Tree Recovery Program: supports residents, local governments and the Perth Zoo to replace trees lost from the Polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB).
• Waterwise Greening Scheme: supports local governments to deliver waterwise planting and greening projects with their communities.
• Kep Katitjin – Gabi Kaadadjan Waterwise Action Plan (2024–27) – integrating waterwise and greening outcomes across State and local government initiatives.

To learn more, see Appendix 6: Coordinated Government Greening in Strategy.