An expensive plan to remove and replace "dangerous" dead trees in the Dubbo region will need to be developed for when the drought breaks, mayor Ben Shields says.
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To help council implement the plan, Cr Shields said the NSW government would be asked to stump up what he estimated could be millions of dollars.
"As a result of this drought, our natural canopy, which does all sorts of good things for our environment and climate, has been reduced," he said.
"I want a comprehensive plan in place for a re-greening of Dubbo and Wellington."
According to Cr Shields, trees near Orana Mall and Lourdes Hospital and on Palmer Street in South Dubbo were among the worst affected.
"These trees dropping dead are ones that have never needed, or had, irrigation," he advised. "It's no one's fault but we need a massive replanting program once the drought ends."
Dead trees still standing "are a danger to the public" and would have to be removed because branches could fall off and injure people, Cr Shields said when asked if those trees might spring back to life if a decent amount of rain fell on them.
To reduce the need for more costly tree removal and replanting work in future droughts, and create a "bigger, better more drought-resistant tree canopy", Cr Shields said council would focus on replicating a successful water-saving, heat-reducing tree-planting project it previously rolled out.
Earlier this year council received a major local government award for its decision to replace Kurrajong trees on Bultje Street with Japanese Elm trees that can tolerate heat, air pollution and droughts.
Cr Shields expects work to remove dead trees and plant new ones to start once the current drought breaks.