City of Gosnells develops tree production nursery

The City of Gosnells in WA is developing a new production nursery to help the area become more sustainable and provide more urban greenery.

Once operational, the nursery will produce 9500 trees and more than 100,000 seedlings each year, specifically selected for the city’s streets, parks and nature reserves.

Mayor Terresa Lynes said it has allocated $400,000 toward the project in its 2025/26 Budget.

“Earlier this year, we set an ambitious goal to achieve 30% urban canopy coverage on city-managed land by 2040. This nursery will play a key role in reaching that target,” she said. “The City of Gosnells already plants thousands of trees and tube stock annually to cool our suburbs, improve biodiversity and create more pleasant environments for residents and visitors.”

Currently, the city purchases plants from private suppliers, a process that has presented challenges with stock availability in recent years.

“The new nursery will allow the city to grow species suited to local conditions, reducing our dependence on the private market and avoiding competition for stock,” Lynes said. “In addition to the environmental benefits, any excess plants the city does not use will be sold, helping to further reduce costs.”

The production nursery is one of a several initiatives the city is pursuing to enhance sustainability and lower environmental and financial impacts. Other measures include energy audits, transitioning its small fleet to electric vehicles, upgrading irrigation systems and switching to renewable energy sources.

Image caption: City of Gosnells Mayor Terresa Lynes with councillors Aaron Adams, Diane Lloyd and Kevin McDonald and City staff, Acting Supervisor Environmental Operations Sandy Adams and Supervisor of Parks Operations Cameron Daniel.