Newcastle council has celebrated National Tree Day by joining forces with residents to plant 7000 native wetland species at Tarro Reserve.
Volunteers dug deep yesterday to add a range of grasses, shrubs, and trees to an area of around 1400 square metres, helping to improve the health of the wetland and restore habitat for local fauna.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes says the City of Newcastle has targeted areas in the western suburbs that experience hotter temperatures in summer for urban forest planting.
She says it’s part of the council’s 10-year Environment Strategy to aim for 40 per cent canopy cover by 2045 to help cool the city.