A $7.2 million rescue package for drought-stressed trees is part of a $26.4 million funding boost for the municipality’s parks and gardens in the City of Melbourne’s 2010–11 Budget.
The funding is designed to ensure the municipality’s green spaces survive and thrive despite the longest drought in Victoria’s recorded history. The rescue package is aimed at accelerating a tree management program after a recent audit revealed up to 40 per cent of the city’s significant trees could be in decline or dying.
Actions to be taken include adapting existing tree landscapes along the Yarra River Corridor (Alexandra Parade), Gisborne Street, and streets in East Melbourne and North Melbourne.