Winchelsea and Deans Marsh residents are ‘Branching Out’ to plant more trees within the community while creating a greener future.
More than 160 trees will be planted in priority areas across Surf Coast Shire’s towns through council’s ‘Branching Out’ initiative, with planting expected to begin soon.
Councillor Tony Phelps said tree planting in Winchelsea and Deans Marsh was the first phase of a multi-year effort to increase the number of trees across the Surf Coast Shire.
“Trees are proven to reduce urban heat, air pollution and noise, while supporting biodiversity and improving stormwater filtration,” he said.
“Planting more trees will help adapt our townships to withstand the changing climate… It’s a very exciting project, and we can’t wait to see it unfold.
“Along with the many environmental benefits, Branching Out will help boost local economies and contribute to a happier and healthier community.
“This is an important investment by council, aimed at putting more trees in the ground to help our local towns become greener, cooler, more appealing places to live and visit.”
Branching Out was planned as a six-year initiative, subject to future funding, to plant 1200 new trees across the shire with $160,000 allocated through council’s draft 2025-26 budget for year two of the project.
The initiative will also deliver a preferred species list for each town to ensure trees are planted correctly, along with a canopy cover and heat map assessment to determine future priority planting areas.
