Tree Canopy Warning

by Shane Sody

State Government agency “Green Adelaide” has sounded the alarm about the poor state of Adelaide’s tree canopy, even as the axe is about to fall on another of the urban forests in your Park Lands.

Green Adelaide Presiding Member Chris Daniels has told InDaily that the widely accepted target for urban areas was 30 per cent; but metropolitan Adelaide’s tree coverage is a miserly 17 per cent.

Green Adelaide’s data shows that between 2018–2019 and 2022, almost three million square metres of tree canopy was lost throughout metropolitan Adelaide.

An “Urban Greening Strategy” due to be released for public consultation later this year, aims to reverse this trend.

In the meantime, the State Government has been busy destroying tree canopy in your Adelaide Park Lands:

Destroyed by the State Gov't in Nov 2023 - Coral gum (Eucalyptus torquata)

Former East-west path, lined with sugar gums (Eucalyptus cladocalyx) destroyed by the State Gov't in Nov 2023

Six of the two dozen sugar gums (Eucalyptus cladocalyx) destroyed by the State Gov't in Nov 2023

Behind the fence, decades-old sugar gums (Eucalyptus cladocalyx) four of the dozens destroyed by the State Gov't

Destroyed by the State Gov't in Nov 2023 : Coral gum (Eucalyptus torquata)

Behind the fence, three large sugar gums (Eucalyptus cladocalyx) destroyed by the State Govt early 2024

Destroyed by the State Gov't in Nov 2023: two former sugar gums (Eucalyptus cladocalyx) AND the former sports field

Destined for destruction: twin Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis)

The next site for State Government tree canopy destruction in your Adelaide Park Lands is this mini urban forest (below), in Kate Cocks Park, near the corner of Gaol Road and Port Road.

Some of the olive and sheoak forest destined for destruction

Part of the olive and sheoak forest destined for destruction

Part of the olive and sheoak forest destined for destruction

Part of the olive and sheoak forest destined for destruction

Part of the olive and sheoak forest destined for destruction

This entire mini-urban forest (about 50 sheoaks and 160-year old olive trees) is earmarked for removal to make way for an eight-storey car park alongside the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital being built now, in your Park 27.