Council is currently in the process of developing a Street Tree Committee which will review proposed removals and replacements of street trees. The committee will also look at Dubbo’s strategic master plan for trees.

According to a report from council’s director community and recreation on the street tree canopy, council manages about 39,000 trees, of those about 21,400 are urban street trees.

“Between 2012 and 2014 tree assessments were undertaken throughout Dubbo and the surrounding villages that identified around 20 per cent of Dubbo’s trees were not in optimum health and that 13 per cent of the total tree population – about 5000 trees – will reach their useful lives within a 15 year period,” Mr Wood said.

A tree planting program to increase the canopy by planting 17,000 trees across 15 years would cost about $700,000 per annum. 

“Such a program would increase the urban canopy cover to at least 20.8 per cent making it more attractive to residents and visitors to the city and improving its resilience to climatic changes. Without any planting program and as trees reach the end of their life, are removed and not replaced, it is estimated that the street tree canopy cover will reduce to approximately 3.5 per cent over the same 40 year period,” he said.

Dubbo resident Barbara Sutherland has called for the street tree canopy, which is currently at 10.4 per cent, to be boosted.

A recent Australia-wide analysis of the street tree canopies in 139 local government areas showed how poorly Dubbo compared, she said.

“Of the 39 NSW centres, Botany Bay had the lowest street tree canopy at 12.1 per cent. Botany Bay, home of Sydney International Airport, and large scale industrial sites has a 12.1 per cent tree canopy coverage as opposed to Dubbo, arguably the hottest regional city in NSW with our 10.4 per cent,” Ms Sutherland said.

The community representatives for the Street Tree Committee will be determined in February.

Meanwhile, six nominations have been made for new additions to Dubbo Regional Council’s Significant Tree Register.

The six nominations include five individual trees from around Dubbo, Wellington and Geurie, as well as an avenue of 18 trees on Obley Road.

The Significant Tree Register and the Tree Preservation Order began in 1995. Trees are determined to be significant for reason such as rarity, cultural value or aesthetic value.