Ensuring our healthy, smart, creative region continues to thrive, Sunshine Coast Council will soon join the growing list of communities around the world providing an innovative way to water street trees.
From May, Golden Beach will be the first suburb on the Sunshine Coast to trial a functional, cost-effective and sustainable watering solution.
The trial will see a range of methods implemented to collect and capture stormwater run-off from our roads and kerbs, which will then be redirected to the roots of our street trees.
The stormwater and nutrients delivered directly to the trees will aim to improve tree growth and survival rate, reduce maintenance costs and reduce the amount of drinkable water used.
Divisional Councillor Terry Landsberg said this simple initiative would help to improve water and hydrologic quality as well as provide a reliable water source for our street trees.
“It’s especially important to keep our established street trees alive, as these provide us with much-needed shade and take so much longer to replace,” Cr Landsberg said.
“It’s a win-win in my opinion.
“Having the ability to combine street tree planting with irrigation technology that can harvest stormwater that would otherwise run-off into our creeks or impact on our local road networks, all while improving tree health and water quality.
“The trial is based on experience from similar projects carried out across Australia and will be slowly-rolled out very soon in Golden Beach.
“A number of methods have been designed to reduce the risk of blockage and to be most cost effective for each location, residents may see a garden bed method while others will have underground infrastructure.
“Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for a project like this.
“Council will monitor and observe the trial area with the hope to improve and adapt the project to suit other locations across our region.
“The success of the trial will be measured by the health and growth rates of the trees, the storm water levels and the reduction of pollutants in our water.”
Council will monitor and learn from the project so it can be improved and adapted to suit other locations across the Sunshine Coast in the future.
Project facts and benefits:
· Golden Beach is the first Sunshine Coast suburb to trial stormwater solutions
· Golden beach has 102 recommended planting locations representing 10.4 kilometres of verge
· The trial aims to reduce the impact of urban stormwater run-off
· Improve tree health through the redirection of water to the roots
· Street trees provide a range of economic, environmental and social benefits within residential areas
· Streets to be prioritised include Taylor Street and Coronation Avenue south of Nelson Street, Coronation Avenue between Earnshaw and Mclean Streets and Palmer Avenue between Gregory and Earnshaw Streets
