Environment Matters Autumn/Winter 2023

Urban Greening in our suburbs Urban areas are made of hard surfaces such as roads, footpaths and buildings. Planting or preserving trees brings a multitude of benefits for people and the environment.

This includes cooling our neighbourhoods, absorbing and filtering pollutants, providing habitat and increasing our enjoyment of local areas. Actions are already underway, such as James Hatton Park in Raceview, where trees have been planted to eventually create shade and other benefits. Overall, council’s target is to increase urban greening plantings, with 90 per cent to reach healthy maturity, and at least 50 per cent to be local native species. Find out more in council’s Urban Greening Plan on Ipswich.qld.gov.au

James Hatton Park

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Ipswich City Council will be holding community planting days in priority suburbs. Find upcoming events here: Ipswichcitycouncil.eventbrite.com

Remembering Arnold Rieck

In late 2022 Ipswich mourned the loss of environmental legend Arnold Rieck. For many decades he championed the replanting of native vegetation in the area known historically as Rosewood Scrub. The remarkable transformation of Masons Gully in Rosewood started in August 2000 when Mr Rieck, Landcare volunteers and school students planted the first seedlings. It is now flourishing with species such as brigalow, crows ash, the rare Bailey’s cypress, red cedar and hoop pine. Mr Rieck’s personal favourite was the ‘original rosewood’, a long-lived weeping wattle with masses of beautiful white blossoms, which he regarded as one of Australia’s best wattles.

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