Role Title: Research Intern: Key Elements of Contemporary Urban Forest Strategies
Organisation: WA Local Government Association (WALGA)
Internship Period: Summer (November - December)
Location: West Leederville
Local Governments play a lead role in managing urban forests to protect and grow canopy cover. In the Perth and Peel regions, over 90% of Local Governments have adopted an Urban Forest Strategy or similar, with several undergoing a planned review and update. Many regional Local Governments are also actively developing urban forest strategies.
The Better Urban Forest Planning Guide (2018, DPLH) was prepared to help Local Governments with the process and key considerations when developing an urban forest strategy. Since this time, our urban forests have experienced cumulative pressures as never before, with ongoing loss of canopy due to land development, the impact of Polyphagous shot-hole borer, and more frequent days of extreme heat and periods of drought.
This project will review recently adopted Urban Forest Strategies across Western Australia, as well as examples of leading approaches elsewhere in Australia and overseas. It will identify key elements and contemporary approaches to emerging themes, including but not limited to:
• the relationship between urban greening, urban forest and biodiversity strategies
• enhanced scope of urban forest strategies (e.g. green walls and roofs)
• the application of canopy cover targets (city-wide or per land class)
• the inclusion of targets or programs for different stratums (or layers) of urban forest
• modelling of projected canopy to inform data-driven targets
• biosecurity considerations and climate resilience
The WA Local Government Association (WALGA) is working for Local Government in Western Australia. As the peak industry body, WALGA advocates on behalf of WA's 139 Local Governments and negotiates service agreements for the sector. WALGA is not a government department or agency.