❓ This question scrutinizes the WA government's new methodology for calculating urban tree canopy cover in Perth and Peel, questioning its consistency, rationale, and impact on the stated goal of doubling canopy cover by 2040.
⏳ Awaiting AnswerQoN 363Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the media statement, ‘New data reveals steady tree canopy cover across Perth and Peel’, revealing under new methodology canopy cover for the Perth and Peel region in 2024 is 22 percent, and the Labor Government’s commitment to doubling canopy cover by 2040, and I ask: (a) when did the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage first receive the 2024 urban canopy data after it was processed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO); (b) was
the 2024 data originally calculated under the 2020 methodology; (c) when was the decision taken to adopt the new
methodology, and what was the rationale for doing so; (d) what is the rationale for the inclusion of large
areas zoned "rural" and" agricultural", given large parts of these areas will never
be rezoned to "urban"; (e) why does the new land use categories for Perth and
Peel now include “the Perth Hills and well-vegetated State forests” as part of the measurement of canopy cover in the urban environment; (f) is grass now considered to be part of Perth’s
canopy cover; (g) if yes to (f), which other states and/or territories include grass and shrubs less
than 3 metres tall in their canopy cover; (h) is the new methodology consistent with how other
capital cities calculate urban canopy data, and does it allow a direct
comparison between states; (i) what is the 2024 tree canopy cover for the street
blocks, roads, and parks land use categories; (j) what is the 2024 tree canopy cover for the Perth
Metropolitan area, excluding Peel; (k) when will the 2022 data be made available; and (l) using the new methodology, what would the tree
canopy cover for the Perth and Peel regions have been in 2014, 2016, and 2018?
the 2024 data originally calculated under the 2020 methodology; (c) when was the decision taken to adopt the new
methodology, and what was the rationale for doing so; (d) what is the rationale for the inclusion of large
areas zoned "rural" and" agricultural", given large parts of these areas will never
be rezoned to "urban"; (e) why does the new land use categories for Perth and
Peel now include “the Perth Hills and well-vegetated State forests” as part of the measurement of canopy cover in the urban environment; (f) is grass now considered to be part of Perth’s
canopy cover; (g) if yes to (f), which other states and/or territories include grass and shrubs less
than 3 metres tall in their canopy cover; (h) is the new methodology consistent with how other
capital cities calculate urban canopy data, and does it allow a direct
comparison between states; (i) what is the 2024 tree canopy cover for the street
blocks, roads, and parks land use categories; (j) what is the 2024 tree canopy cover for the Perth
Metropolitan area, excluding Peel; (k) when will the 2022 data be made available; and (l) using the new methodology, what would the tree
canopy cover for the Perth and Peel regions have been in 2014, 2016, and 2018?
AnswerView source ↗
⏳
This question is awaiting a response from the Minister.
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