Western Sydney University is partnering with Creating Canopies to plant 30,000 new native trees on the grounds of its Hawkesbury Campus over the next three years.
The first planting was held on Saturday 21st October. Students traded textbooks and lecture theatres for gardening gloves and the great outdoors, installing 2,000 plants on the day.
A further 8,000 trees will be planted at Western Sydney University in the coming weeks to bring its total number of new trees planted in 2023 to 10,000.
Trees Help to Tackle Extreme Heat
The Department of Planning and Environment’s Executive Director, Resilience and Urban Sustainability, Steve Hartley, said adding 30,000 trees will help communities better cope with extreme heat and rising temperatures from climate change.
“Growing our urban tree canopy reduces land surface temperatures, provides cleaner air and improves the local habitat for native birds,” Mr Hartley said.
The tree planting is an important part of the University’s wide-ranging sustainability initiatives as showcased in Western Sydney University’s decadal strategy, Sustainability and Resilience 2030.
Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship
“We are delighted to partner with Greater Sydney Landcare on this tree-planting program. This is a significant step in Western Sydney University’s ongoing journey towards becoming nature positive by 2029 and testament to our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship,” said Professor Barney Glover AO, Vice Chancellor and President.
The University recently reached its ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2023. It was also named number one in the world for its social, economic, and environmental impact two years in a row in the prestigious Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
Professor Glover said planting more trees on campus helps tackle the challenges of urban heat and aligns with the University’s vision for a thriving Western Sydney region.
“We are pleased to work hand-in-hand with our local communities to lead the way in driving climate action and help create a more sustainable and resilient future for all,” he said.
About Creating Canopies
Greater Sydney Landcare is running these tree-planting events as part of its Creating Canopies project, which is proudly funded by the NSW Government. The project will deliver 200,000 trees by the end of 2025 to help mitigate urban heat in Greater Sydney.
“Creating Canopies is about partnering with private and public landowners and volunteers to plant 200,000 locally native trees across Greater Sydney by the end of 2025,” said Ms Danielle Packer, Creating Canopies Project Manager for Greater Sydney Landcare.
“By planting trees that will grow to three metres and above and prioritising our planting in local government areas of Sydney with less than 30 per cent canopy cover, we’ll help mitigate urban heat. These trees will grow to provide shade and cooling for our city in the years to come,” said Ms Packer.
Creating Canopies and Western Sydney University Partnership
Ms Packer said, “Greater Sydney Landcare is proud to partner with Western Sydney University in their environmental initiatives and to create canopies in Greater Sydney.”
“Partners like Western Sydney University are invaluable—they provide the spaces for greening, and in this case an army of willing tree planters, which is fabulous!” Ms Packer said.
“Greater Sydney Landcare brings to the table the expertise of our bush regenerators and ecologists to say what locally native species would be appropriate at each site. We also source the plants, prepare the sites for planting, and run the planting days by providing the tools and training the volunteers. We don’t just plant and run either—we undertake follow up maintenance to ensure the highest possible survival rate for these plantings,” said Ms Packer.
