Making trees an integral part of urban living

We always welcome opportunities to advocate for more trees in our cities. Libby, along with Dr Tony Matthews from Griffith University was interviewed on Radio National’s Life Matters program this week about the importance of trees in addressing urban heat and making our cities more liveable. Libby shared our experience, through the Cool Streets Initiative of grass roots implementation.  Thanks to Greener Spaces Better Places, for their ongoing leadership in promoting urban tree canopy.  

To listen, click on the link below

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/making-trees-an-integral-part-of-urban-living/11977288.

Cool Streets and Good ‘Hoods’

It’s fantastic to have NRMA insurance supporting Blacktown City Council in delivering Cool Streets in western Sydney. NRMA Insurance Safer Communities Executive Manager Jen Cobley said: “We’re excited to be part of this Cool Streets© initiative and help to tackle heat stress in Western Sydney. We know that when trees and vegetation are removed, the temperatures can soar and by revegetating areas we’ll be creating cooler streets benefiting the community and the environment by increasing shade and reducing CO2 emissions”.

 Read the article here.

Why streets need trees: in conversation with Libby Gallagher

Libby Gallagher was recently interviewed by Foreground magazine. Read the article as Libby talks more about the Cool Streets^© project and the work of Gallagher Studio.

Mercury rising: Australia faces an even hotter future

Last night, the ABC's 7:30 Report featured a piece on climate change and climate adaptation, following the recent news from the Bureau of Meteorology that 2017 was the third hottest year on record.

Libby and one of our Cool Streets^© Pilot Project residents, Bala, were interviewed to talk about Cool Streets^© and the ways it is helping to tackle climate change at a local level. It is wonderful to see how the residents have embraced the new trees on their street, and that the trees are growing well with all the love and care from residents like Bala. 

To watch the segment, click through to the 7:30 Report's webpage here.

The Daily Drive

Libby recently joined Sam Stove and Brigitte Duclos on 'The Daily Drive' to chat about the benefits of trees and the Cool Streets^© initiative. It's great to get the message out there about the benefits of trees in our cities - especially whilst we're in the midst of a heatwave here in Sydney!

To take a listen to the segment, click here.

Or, to visit The Daily Drive's page, click here.

NSW government plans for millions more trees to protect against climate change

It's great to see this recent announcement by the NSW State Government about their initiative to plant more trees to help combat climate change. The Domain reporter, Madeleine Wedesweiler, writes, 

On Tuesday, Planning Minister Anthony Roberts announced the government’s “Greener Places” draft policy which views green spaces and plants not just as individual objects but as an important piece of state infrastructure. 

Under the policy, the Office of Open Space and Parklands, led by Commissioner Fiona Morrison, will aim to increase the urban tree canopy of Sydney from approximately 16 per cent to 40 per cent.

To read more, head over to the article on The Domain.

Global problems, local actions: Cool Streets Pilot Project awarded with a National Award of Excellence

The 2017 Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) National Landscape Awards were held last Friday night at The Grounds of Alexandria in Sydney. Gallagher Studio is very proud to have received an Award of Excellence for our Cool Streets^© Pilot Project, in the Community Contribution category. It was a fantastic night of celebration and we warmly congratulate all the nominees and award winners. 

Foreground published a review of the National Landscape Awards, writing; 

“It’s hard to sum up a year’s work in a single comment, but it’s really the work of the landscape architect to promote liveability and to get people out in the landscape interacting with one another,” says [Linda] Corkery. “When you look across the categories, across all 81 projects, the large majority of them spoke to public space, active community engagement, and getting people out into nature – especially in dense urban areas."

To read more and view the full list of award recipients, go here. 

On the street where you live - money does grow on trees

Libby was recently interviewed by ABC's Richard Aedy to contribute to Radio National's 'The Money' program. 'On the street where you live - money does grow on trees' airs tonight at 5:30pm, or you can download and listen to the audio via the ABC website here.

Cool it: Getting green into both our suburbs and our cities

Our Cool Streets^© initiative was recently profiled in Foreground, an online journal focusing on city design, and highlights how greening does not need to be the preserve of the wealthy. Urban tree canopy can be critical for lower income, often socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods and communities who are highly vulnerable to increased urban heat.

Thanks to writer Alan Weedon for a great conversation.

To read the article, click here. 

Cool Streets Pilot Project wins an Award of Excellence!

We're very proud to receive a 2017 Award of Excellence in the Community Contribution category from the NSW Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA). It's great to share the process with our colleagues and offer an alternative green infrastructure solution to Sydney's rapidly changing and growing urban environment.