Challenge
Melbourne is one of Australia’s hottest major cities, regularly experiencing summer heat waves that push temperatures above 40 °C. The urban heat island effect amplifies these extremes in built-up areas, posing serious risks to public health, biodiversity and the liveability that underpins the city’s economy. With climate projections indicating hotter, drier summers ahead, the City of Melbourne recognised that a business-as-usual approach to urban greening would not be sufficient.
The Urban Forest Strategy
Launched in 2012 and refreshed in 2021, Melbourne’s Urban Forest Strategy set an ambitious target to increase the city’s tree canopy from 22% to 40% by 2040. The strategy went far beyond a simple tree-planting programme, embedding the urban forest into land-use planning, engineering standards and procurement.
Key Interventions
- Species diversification: Moving away from monocultures toward over 3,000 species to build ecological resilience against pests, disease and changing rainfall
- Canopy equity: Prioritising tree planting in hotter, lower-income areas with the least existing canopy
- Right tree, right place: Updated design guides to match species to soil volumes, overhead services and foot-traffic requirements
- Tree Census: A public database of every street tree with species, age and health data, enabling both professional planning and community engagement
Data-Driven Approach
The City used i-Tree Eco to quantify the ecosystem services provided by existing trees — carbon storage, pollution removal, stormwater interception and energy savings — and to build the economic case for increased investment. CityGreen analysis informed which neighbourhoods would benefit most from additional canopy.
Outcomes
The strategy has delivered measurable results. Canopy cover has grown significantly across the city, with surface temperature measurements showing meaningful cooling in greened streets. The programme attracted international recognition, including an inaugural C40 Cities award.
- Tree canopy cover increased from 22% towards the 40% target
- Measurable urban temperature reductions in pilot streets
- International recognition as a model urban forestry programme
- 3,000+ unique tree species creating a diverse, resilient canopy
Lessons Learned
- Long-term commitment and cross-council buy-in is essential — benefits accumulate over decades
- Publicly available tree data drives community stewardship and reduces vandalism
- Soil volume standards in planning codes are as important as tree numbers
- Canopy equity must be explicitly targeted, or investment gravitates to already-green areas
Tools Used in This Case Study
Climate Tools Applied
