Help us finalise the Urban Forest Strategy 2023

As our population grows and our climate changes it is important to nurture our natural assets and plan for future generations.

Canopy cover across the Camden local government area (LGA) is consistently below the NSW Government target of 40%. In 2019 areas within the LGA showed canopy levels as low as 2-3% with overall canopy coverage of just over 15%.

As we are experiencing exponential population growth, it is important that Camden Council acts now in order to achieve the ambitions set by the NSW Government and targets identified within the Connecting Camden Community Strategic Plan 2022-2036 and Local Strategic Planning Statement 2020.

Following consultation earlier this year, Camden Council has prepared a draft Urban Forest Strategy 2023. The Strategy provides a pathway for Council to protect, enhance and support the urban forest over the next five years and beyond.

The Strategy and action plan covers five key themes:

  1. Asset - to manage the urban forest as an essential asset and integrate with water, soils and other infrastructure
  2. Capacity – to increase the organisation’s capacity to manage and respond to urban forestry challenges.
  3. Data – to increase canopy cover and urban forest across the LGA especially in priority areas.
  4. Canopy – to improve decision making around the urban forest through the use of robust data and best practice analysis.
  5. Communication – to communicate with and engage the community and key stakeholders in urban forest management.

The Strategy is now on public exhibition until 9am 16 August with submissions sought during this time. By providing feedback you will be able to help shape the future in achieving a healthy and resilient urban forest for future generations.

Consider the detail

Please take some time to look through the draft Strategy and consider how Camden Council plans to achieve the Vision and Outcomes. You can download the documents, read copies at the library or flip through the PDF provided below.

Click on the image to flip through the draft Urban Forest Strategy 2023. Enlarge it to full screen size and press ESC to exit.

Printed copies can be viewed at:

  • Customer Service Centre, 70 Central Avenue, Oran Park;
  • Oran Park Library, 72 Central Avenue, Oran Park;
  • Camden Library, 40 John Street, Camden; and
  • Narellan Library, corner Queen and Elyard Streets, Narellan.

Share your thoughts

We've got an ideas wall so you can briefly share your thoughts, as well as welcoming more detailed written submissions until 9am Wednesday 16 August 2023.

Submissions can be:

  • completed using the online form (below) ↓
  • hand delivered during business hours to our Administration Building, 70 Central Avenue, Oran Park NSW 2570
  • posted to Camden Council, PO Box 183, Camden NSW 2570
  • sent via email to mail@camden.nsw.gov.au