Branching out: street trees cooling our communities

The humble street tree is doing much more for our local environment than providing shade.

Native street trees provide so many benefits: cooling urban areas, improving the look and feel of our neighbourhoods and helping make the Sunshine Coast a healthy and vibrant place to live.

Our region is already one of the greenest local government areas in Queensland, with 57% of land featuring trees, and a proactive master plan to increase that coverage.

Planting in our urban areas is vital to reducing heat risks and keeping built-up areas cool.

Street trees absorb and store carbon, release oxygen, are an essential food source and shelter for native wildlife and play a key role in storm water load reduction.

Council’s nursery is home to more than 100 different species of plants that have been used in planting 2,668 street trees in 2023 – exceeding our annual target.

The Adopt-a-Street-Tree Program supports collaboration between local communities and Council to take a proactive approach to planting more trees.

Take part in the Adopt-a-Street-Tree Program

Council is looking for tree custodians who can partner with us to care for young street trees. If you would like to see more trees planted in your street or in a nearby location and can help care for these trees while they establish, we want to hear from you!

Submit a request to Council via [email protected]

Council will come and assess the area, select a suitable species and plant the tree. As a tree custodian you will help to establish and care for your new street tree.

Learn more about you can care for street trees along with Council’s street tree maintenance plan.