Perth council pays homeowners to preserve native trees

Homeowners in the City of Canning, located in Perth's southeast, may soon receive payments for preserving native trees on their properties. The council has approved a plan that will pay $200 annually for every registered tree. This initiative aims to protect the area’s declining tree canopy, which currently covers less than eight percent of the region. Mayor Patrick Hall explained that this program encourages landowners to keep significant trees. For instance, if a property has six large trees, the owner could earn $1,200 each year as long as the trees meet specific criteria. The city aims to plant over 60,000 new trees in the next two decades. However, the plan was not unanimously supported. Mayor Hall himself voted against it, citing concerns about governance and fairness. He worries that wealthier residents with larger properties will benefit more than those in smaller, newer homes. Hall mentioned that some residents have expressed frustration over the unequal impact of the program. Under the new scheme, trees must be assessed and classified as significant and native to qualify for payments. Once a tree is registered, it cannot be removed without council approval, although there are uncertainties about what happens if a property is sold. Currently, all trees registered are on council land, with none on private properties. Mayor Hall has acknowledged the council's decision and committed to supporting it despite his reservations. Concerns persist about how the initiative might affect property values and whether homeowners will be willing to register their trees.