by Shane Sody

A Parliamentary Committee looking at Adelaide’s tree canopy is waiting to hear from you.

The Environment, Resources, and Development Committee is looking at how "to improve the resilience and longevity of trees comprising the urban forest." Public submissions are invited, but you have only until Friday 24 February to put forward your views.

*Labor’s Jayne Stinson, on ABC-TV News. Ms Stinson said, to protect Adelaide's tree canopy: "It's really not sufficient for us to cut down one tree and say well you can just plant another."*

Our submission urges the ERD Committee to look at the actions of the Labor State Government.

We point out, to the Committee, that the State Government is proposing to destroy this forest of about 50 river she-oak and olive trees in Kate Cocks Park, to make way for an eight-storey car park.

The olive and sheoak forest destroyed in May 2024

Our submission also points out that the State Government is proposing to destroy dozens of decades-old trees with an $82 million aquatic centre on your Denise Norton Park / Pardinyilla (Park 2).

Our response recommends that the Committee challenge the State Government over its existing (lack of) policies towards your Park Lands and their trees.

“The Committee should urge the State Government to re-think its plans to attack hundreds of Park Lands trees. New public buildings can and should be located on re-purposed brownfield sites, which would offer opportunities to increase tree plantings around the new buildings; rather than targeting Park Land sites, containing many mature trees.

“Imagine the outcry in New York, if Central Park were to be diminished by new public or private buildings. One of the largest cities in the world is careful to preserve its iconic Park and the tree canopy within that Park. When new building sites are required for the public of New York, they are found within the City, not within its Central Park.

Our submission is brief, only 2 pages. Read it here: (PDF, 0.9 Mb)

Make your own submission. If you want, you might make a submission that “I endorse and support the submission from the Adelaide Park Lands Association”.