Head of Government
Sally Capp
Lord Mayor of Melbourne City Council
Sally Capp
GALLERY
The Yarra River, traditionally known as the Birrarung, flows through Melbourne’s Central Business District. The iconic river immerses people with nature and possesses significant ecological values within the city (Photo Credit: David Hannah).
Blue-banded Bee at Royal Park. Over 560 species of insects are found within the City of Melbourne. They provide important ecosystem services, from pollination and pest control to improving soil fertility (Photo Credit: Luis Mata).
Green wall installed at the front of a a multi-story apartment building in Southbank. Green infrastructure, such as green walls, provides an example of how we can connect habitats through vegetation corridors in the more dense urban areas of the municipality (Photo Credit: City of Melbourne).
Rainbow Lorikeet observed in a hollow of an Elm tree during a citizen science program titled HollowBlitz’, which examined what birds were nesting in tree hollows in our municipality (Photo Credit: City of Melbourne).
TWITTER FEED
#CitieswithNature / #cityofmelbourne
We urgently need to act to change our relationship with nature. The current crisis has made us realize, more than ever, how important #nature is for our #health & well-being.
~ @Val_Plante, @projetmontreal at #ICLEIcongress calling on cities & regions to join #CitiesWithNature
Bringing #nature back to our lives is key & @ICLEI is strongly working on that through #CitiesWithNature...
At the local & regional level, nature-based solutions are smart solutions that mitigate #climatechange & #biodiversityloss.
~ @cjfur at #ICLEIcongress #ForNature
We urgently need to act to change our relationship with nature. The current crisis has made us realize, more than ever, how important #nature is for our #health & well-being.
~ @Val_Plante, @projetmontreal at #ICLEIcongress calling on cities & regions to join #CitiesWithNature
We urgently need to act to change our relationship with nature. The current crisis has made us realize, more than ever, how important #nature is for our #health & well-being.
~ @Val_Plante, @projetmontreal at #ICLEIcongress calling on cities & regions to join #CitiesWithNature
Bringing #nature back to our lives is key & @ICLEI is strongly working on that through #CitiesWithNature...
At the local & regional level, nature-based solutions are smart solutions that mitigate #climatechange & #biodiversityloss.
~ @cjfur at #ICLEIcongress #ForNature
Bringing #nature back to our lives is key & @ICLEI is strongly working on that through #CitiesWithNature...
At the local & regional level, nature-based solutions are smart solutions that mitigate #climatechange & #biodiversityloss.
~ @cjfur at #ICLEIcongress #ForNature
We urgently need to act to change our relationship with nature. The current crisis has made us realize, more than ever, how important #nature is for our #health & well-being.
~ @Val_Plante, @projetmontreal at #ICLEIcongress calling on cities & regions to join #CitiesWithNature
Don't miss out! Engaging #cities & regions in the global #nature agenda 🏙️🌎🍃 Join #CitiesWithNature, @mremae, @MauVila, @Val_Plante, @cjfur & @KobieBrand at the #ICLEICongress in 2 hours!
More info here:
https://t.co/iuXKecb5A7
Register here: https://t.co/ampF4UnvdN https://t.co/GiuRueNH9z
Don't miss out! Engaging #cities & regions in the global #nature agenda 🏙️🌎🍃 Join #CitiesWithNature, @mremae, @MauVila, @Val_Plante, @cjfur & @KobieBrand at the #ICLEICongress in 2 hours!
More info here:
https://t.co/iuXKecb5A7
Register here: https://t.co/ampF4UnvdN https://t.co/GiuRueNH9z
Don't miss out! Engaging #cities & regions in the global #nature agenda 🏙️🌎🍃 Join #CitiesWithNature, @mremae, @MauVila, @Val_Plante, @cjfur & @KobieBrand at the #ICLEICongress in 2 hours!
More info here:
https://t.co/iuXKecb5A7
Register here: https://t.co/ampF4UnvdN
Nature Pathway
I. Analyze
1. Commit & Mobilize
2. Research & Assess
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- The City of Melbourne collaborated with RMIT University to collect data and document on the existing insect diversity across public green spaces within the municipality. Information addressed in ‘ The Little Things that Run the City’ report includes: the key insect groups present; the different ecological interactions between plants and insects; and how insect biodiversity is distributed amongst public green spaces within the municipality. Data on butterfly diversity is provided in a separate report.
- The City of Melbourne collaborated with RMIT University to collect data and document on the existing butterfly diversity across public green spaces within the municipality. Information addressed in the ‘Our City’s Little Gems’ report includes: butterfly species currently present; butterfly-flower interactions; and the distribution of butterfly species across public green spaces within the municipality.
- City of Melbourne has launched an open data platform, providing data relating to: Melbourne’s environment and parks (e.g. biodiversity surveys results and tree canopy mapping); the greening potential of Melbourne’s laneways; and opportunities to retrofit existing rooftops for green roofs.
3. Set Baseline
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- ‘Quantifying the Benefits of Green Infrastructure in Melbourne’ is a literature review which provides an understanding of the potential benefits of green roofs, walls and façades within the public and private realm in Melbourne and the value associated with these. The document focuses on how these forms of green infrastructure can impact water, temperature, biodiversity, health and wellbeing, and collective benefits.
- ‘Valuing Green Guide’ is a summarised, plain-reading report based on ‘Quantifying the Benefits of Green Infrastructure in Melbourne’.
II. Act
1. Develop Strategy
2. Detail & Finance Projects
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- The Green Our Rooftop project is a key action from the Green Our City Strategic Action Plan (2017), which sets out the City of Melbourne’s vision for increasing green infrastructure. As part of the Green Our Rooftop project, the City of Melbourne, Victorian Government and Melbourne Water have offered collaborative research grants and postgraduate scholarships to support high quality, peer-reviewed research projects that will help develop the science, technology and policy of green roofs in Melbourne.
- The Woody Meadow Pilot Project has demonstrated the success of using Australian shrubs to improve the appearance and function of low-maintenance landscapes. The project was a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, the University of Sheffield, City of Melbourne and the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV). The City of Melbourne has published a set of guidelines for growing a woody meadow, based on findings from two experimental plots that were installed within the municipality in 2016 . Whilst site specific to the City of Melbourne, these guidelines can be used as a framework for other land managers to explore and experiment with woody meadows in their area.
- The City of Melbourne collaborated with the University of Melbourne to create the city’s first indigenous wildflower meadow. In April 2020, almost one million seeds of 27 native grasses and wildflowers were sown along Gatehouse Street in Royal Park. Through experimental trials, the project will ascertain the best way to develop a successful, manageable, and cost-effective native understorey ecosystem.
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3. Implement & Monitor
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- Green Factor is a tool for developers to measure green infrastructure credentials and to help with the design and construction of environmentally friendly buildings. It is free for anyone to use and the assessment will eventually ensure new planning applications comply with future policy requirements around climate action.
- Amendment C376: Sustainable Building Design proposes to implement sustainability and green infrastructure policy into the Melbourne Planning Scheme, including a range of new mandatory and discretionary Sustainable Building Design Standards and requirements. Amendment C376 also implements the Green Factor tool, which is an online green infrastructure assessment developed to help with optimising the design of green infrastructure and external landscapes on buildings. The Amendment and was endorsed by Council on 15 September 2020.
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- In 2017, the City of Melbourne created the Urban Forest Fund to provide financial support to new greening projects across the municipality, including green spaces, tree planting, biodiversity projects, vertical greening or green roofs. Projects supported by the Urban Forest Fund include: Greening Howlett Street, Myers Place Green Wall and Melbourne Skyfarm.
- The Citizen Forester Program is run by the City of Melbourne and seeks volunteers to help collect data about trees, plants and ecology to build a greener Melbourne. Activities have included mapping habitat trees, recording plant-insect pollinator interactions and conducting waterbug surveys.
- The City of Melbourne collaborated with the University of Melbourne to develop and test an understorey plant palette designed to increase streetscape biodiversity. In 2018, the plant palette was integrated into four streetscapes within the municipality. A case study was published that documents the recent implementation of these biodiverse plantings and addresses key insights, challenges and lessons.
- In collaboration with Outdoors Victoria, Nature Stewards is an ecological, education program for community members interested in environmental volunteering, citizen science or advocating for nature. The short course offers an engaging and practical experience for participants so they can get comfortable, confident, and active in their local environment, and make on-going connections with nature and community.
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III. Accelerate
1. Integrate & Collaborate
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- The City of Melbourne in partnership with Westgate Biodiversity: Bili Nursery & Landcare, and the Melbourne community has initiated a local ‘Gardens for Wildlife’ program - a new community-based gardening program for the city aiming to foster social connections together with biodiversity goals. This program is affiliated with Gardens for Wildlife Victoria, a state-wide network of community group and local government partnerships supporting local residents, schools and businesses to care for native flora and fauna.
- Developed in partnership with the University of Melbourne, the Urban Nature Planting Guide contains ecological and horticultural information for over 100 species that are suited to urban landscapes. The guide includes plant selection filters to assist landscape architects, urban designers, and home gardeners to choose suitable understorey species for urban plantings, such as streetscape plantings that will enhance biodiversity and be attractive to the public.
- In 2017, the City of Melbourne created the Urban Forest Fund. The fund aims to build partnerships between government and the private sector to deliver additional greening above and beyond existing Council capital works investment.
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2. Review & Upscale
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- In 2019, Resilient Melbourne in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) developed Living Melbourne – a flagship action to extend, link and enhance existing urban greening initiatives across metropolitan Melbourne. Living Melbourne has been endorsed by 41 organisations representing local and state government, and other relevant stakeholders.
- The Growing Green Guide is the first comprehensive guide to green roofs, walls and facades in Australia. It was developed in 2014 with advice from industry experts and knowledge from academic research. The Growing Green Guide provides technical advice on the design, planning, construction, installation and maintenance of green roofs, walls and facades. The guidelines are targeted at projects based in Melbourne and Victoria, however, much of the information has national and international relevance.
3. Advocate & Inspire
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- In collaboration with RMIT, the City of Melbourne has released a children’s book that focuses on 30 amazing insects in our city. This book explores the diversity of insects we have within our city’s boundaries and examines what we can do to help them survive and thrive.
- The Urban Forest Visual is an interactive website providing the opportunity for the general public to explore individual tree data for City of Melbourne trees and some of the key challenges facing Melbourne’s urban forest.
- The City of Melbourne has collaborated with many local companies, universities and volunteer groups to document our city’s fascinating insect biodiversity. The City of Melbourne is excited to share this knowledge through the ‘Biodiversity Visual’ in order to raise awareness on insect biodiversity in the municipality, and enhance urban ecology locally and abroad.
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