The Town recognises the important and valuable role that you, as members of our community, play in achieving our urban forest target. Together we have and will celebrate many more achievements to make our Town a healthier, more sustainable and a happier place to live.
Check out urban forest achievements below, made possible in collaboration with our community!
Environmental Stewardship Award for Excellence
On 8 June 2023, our Urban Forest Program was recognised with the inaugural Environmental Stewardship Award for Excellence at the Parks and Leisure Australia WA (PLA) 2023 Regional Awards. The award celebrates and acknowledges our work with our community to protect the local environment, improve climate resilience, ensure sustainability, and care for our land and global biodiversity.
Titled "Community Collaboration to a Greener Town," our award submission focused on the engagement and collaboration with our community to lead year on year greening and planting activities within the Town.
AILA - Australian Institute of Landscape Architects
On 24 June 2022, our Urban Forest Program was announced as the category winner for the AILA - Australian Institute of Landscape Architects - WA 2022 Awards. Our first of its kind program, delivered in collaboration with our residents and community members, took out TWO prestigious awards:
- Award of Excellence winner in the Infrastructure Category - This is the first and highest award in each category, given to the work judged to be the most significant for the advancement of landscape architecture.
- WA Medal - This is the highest level of awards for landscape architects' profession for our State.
On 14 October 2022, our Urban Forest Program also received an Award of Excellence - winning the Community Contribution category against other entries from around Australia at the AILA National Awards 2022!
World Green City Awards 2022 commendation
On 14 October 2022, our Urban Forest Program competed against Paris and Bogota for the World Green City Award in the category of Biodiversity. Our program received a Highly Commended Award, with the top award going to Bogota's greening program.
Our entry was titled 'Act Local, Contribute Global to World Biodiversity Conservation' and explored how our Urban Forest Program is collecting 40 endemic species from Jirdarup Bushland to propagate them into plant stocks for our annual planting. This is in effort to ensure these endemic species do not go extinct and encourages the spread of these precious species beyond the bushland!
Tree Cities of the World status
In 2021, the Town received WA's first ever Tree Cities of the World status. The recognition, awarded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the Arbor Day Foundation, highlights the Town's commitment to ensuring that our urban forests and trees are properly maintained, sustainably managed and duly celebrated.
In 2022, the Town's Tree Cities of the World Status was renewed in recognition of our continued efforts in protecting and increasing our tree canopy cover.
Feature on Gardening Australia
In 2020, Gardening Australia's Josh Byrne explored how an Urban Forest Strategy developed by community volunteers successfully brought nature into the Town of Vic Park! Watch the feature here.
We want to hear, support and celebrate all efforts in creating a healthier and stronger urban forest at the Town. Share your work, contribution, ideas, and questions by using #GreeningVicPark in your social posts.