No—the new 30% target is not a city-wide target. The City of Stirling’s reported March 2025 change sets a 30% canopy goal for land the City manages by 2040. It replaces an earlier 18% goal for the whole local government area, so the percentages have different scopes and cannot be compared as if they measure the same land.
What changed in Stirling’s canopy target?
PerthNow reported on 14 March 2025 that Stirling council had voted to set a target of 30% tree canopy on City-managed land by 2040, citing a council report. The previous target was 18% canopy across the city by 2040. The change narrows the land covered by the target; it does not mean the city-wide goal has been reached or that the whole city is now expected to have 30% canopy. PerthNow’s report describes the 30% target and the change in scope.
| Figure | Land covered | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| 18% by 2040 | City-wide | The earlier target, as described by PerthNow’s 14 March 2025 report. |
| 30% by 2040 | City-managed land | The revised target, as described by PerthNow’s account of council material; it is not a measured outcome. |
City-managed land includes verges, median strips, natural areas, parks, reserves, grounds around City facilities and golf courses. Residential, other non-residential and State-managed land are outside that target’s denominator, even though canopy on those properties contributes to the city-wide figure.
Why did the City change the target?
The central problem is that the City can directly manage planting and tree care on its own land, but much of Stirling’s land and canopy is beyond its direct control. PerthNow reported that residential and State-managed canopy losses were making the former city-wide target difficult to achieve. The report quoted by PerthNow says that increasing attention to the quality, care and maintenance of existing and new trees on City land is a priority.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →#1 Best Overall
- FREE EXTRA SEEDS!! Avergo’s bonzie starter kit comes with additional seed packets just in case you’ll need more
- COMPLETE BONSAI STARTER KITS – Avergo’s DIY bonsai kit for beginners contains everything you need for growing your own bonsai plants
- BONSAI TREE STARTER KIT - With seeds of Avergo's most popular bonsai mini tree Crape Myrtle, Flame tree (Delonix Regia), Blue jacaranda (Jacaranda Mimosifolia), Pigeon Pea, and more
- SPECIAL GIFTS – Indoor planting is fun! Bonsai kit is a great gift for plant lovers, women & men – whether for birthdays, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, etc.
- GIFTS FOR MOM – Bonsai tree kits are ideal as a Mother’s Day gift for mom and a fun DIY family activity with kids
Residential land is especially consequential because it occupies a large share of the local government area. City council material describes it as roughly four times the area of either State-managed or non-residential land, so its canopy changes have a substantial effect on the city-wide total. The City’s decade review found that City-land canopy gains were outweighed by residential losses.
What do the canopy figures show?
The figures indicate a gap between the City’s progress on its own land and the wider city-wide trend. Keep the dates and scopes attached to each number: these are snapshots or targets from different reporting periods, not a single like-for-like series.
Rank #2
- FREE EXTRA SEEDS!! Avergo’s bonsai starter kit comes with 2 additional seed packets just in case you’ll need more
- A COMPLETE BONSAI STARTER KIT – Avergo’s DIY bonsai tree kit contains everything you need to grow your own special mini trees
- BONSAI TREE STARTER KIT - With seeds of Avergo's most popular Japanese bonsai mini tree
- SPECIAL GIFTS – Indoor planting is just fun! Bonsai kit is a great gift for plant lovers - birthday, Mother’s Day, Valentine's Day, Christmas, etc. For women & men
- EASY TO GROW – Sprouting bonsai trees can be challenging. Though our seeds have higher germination rate we've added extra seeds to increase your chances of success
| Period or date | Reported canopy information | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 council material | 12.3% city-wide; 19% on City-managed land; 7% on residential land; 10% on non-residential land; 17% on State-managed land. | Land-category figures reported in City material. The City said residential land accounted for about 25% of city-wide canopy. |
| 2023/24 annual report | 12.3% city-wide against a 13.5% trajectory target for that year; more than 24 hectares of significant canopy lost in 2023/24. | The annual report’s city-wide observation and annual loss figure. It says residential canopy had declined consistently since monitoring began in 2012. |
| 2024, as reported by PerthNow | 12.4% city-wide; 19% on City-managed land, up from 17% in 2017. | PerthNow’s account of council material. The 12.4% figure and the annual report’s 12.3% for 2023/24 have different stated reporting contexts; the available information does not establish their precise measurement dates or explain the difference. |
| 2040, conditional projection reported in March 2025 | 14% city-wide if losses on privately owned and State-managed land continue. | A projection attributed by PerthNow to council material, not a measured 2040 result or a guaranteed outcome. |
The City’s 2023/24 annual report also said the shortfall against the then city-wide 18% by 2040 target was equivalent to 30,600 medium-sized mature trees. It reported that half of Stirling’s suburbs lost at least 5% of residential canopy over the preceding year; if that trend continued, some suburbs could lose about half their existing residential canopy in ten years. That suburb-level figure is a conditional projection, not a certainty.
What does “canopy” mean in these figures?
The City defines “significant canopy” as tree canopy taller than three metres and larger than 20 square metres. It maps canopy change using high-resolution airborne multispectral imagery; the 2023/24 annual report attributes its canopy table to imagery supplied by Specterra. This definition matters: the reported percentages are not simply counts of all trees, nor do they include every young or small tree.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #3
- Grow the planet's tallest tree!
- Includes absolutely everything you need to grow a Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) from seed: seeds, growing medium, a mini-greenhouse, and detailed instructions
- 100% guaranteed: If your seed fails to germinate or your seedling perishes, we are happy to provide free replacement seed
- Great for kids and adults, amateurs to experts!
- A universal symbol of life, regrowth and recovery, enduring friendships and new beginnings, a tree is a wonderful gift that will only grow in value, meaning, and beauty
The City’s tree planning and management information describes its Urban Forest Plan as covering both City-owned and privately owned land. That broader planning scope does not change which land is included in the 30% target.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can the City do about canopy beyond its own land?
The City’s measures include planting, maintenance and planning rules, but their effects differ according to land ownership and the relevant approval process.
Rank #4
- Grow Your Own Spruce Trees from Seed: This complete Buzzy Seeds grow kit gives you everything to raise cheerful spruces right at home in genuine mini terracotta pots, a thoughtful, hands-on project for indoor & outdoor spaces.
- Everything Included, No Extra Supplies Needed: Each kit comes with genuine mini terracotta pots, premium Non-GMO spruce (Picea abies) seeds, coconut husk growing medium pellets, and easy step-by-step planting instructions. Just add water.
- Simple to Start, Fun to Grow, No Green Thumb Required: Soak the coconut husk growing medium, sow your seeds, and watch sprouts appear in a few weeks to a few months. Beginner-friendly and a wonderful first garden for kids.
- A Memorable Gift for Every Occasion: Ready to give and genuinely different, these kits make charming favors and presents for Earth Day, corporate gifting, party favors. A tiny garden that brings a big smile.
- Premium Quality You Can Count On: Made with genuine terracotta (not plastic), tested Non-GMO seeds, and plastic-free packaging, plus a friendly support team cheering for your first sprout.
- Plant and care for trees on City land: The City says it plants around 7,000 trees annually on residential verges, reserves and streets. Its November 2024 announcement said all available planting locations would be planted under its amended City Trees Policy and described stronger verge-tree requirements.
- Encourage protection of private trees: The City offers a voluntary Significant Tree Register for privately owned trees. Its planning information describes tree retention and planting provisions for private development. Approved registered trees receive a title notification and protection from damage or removal, subject to the applicable process.
- Maintain trees already planted: PerthNow reported that the council report prioritised watering and mulching as well as planting, and included a plan for two new watering trucks to be delivered in 2026–27. That was a reported future plan, not a completed delivery.
These actions can support canopy, but they do not give the City the same control over residential and State-managed trees as it has over its own land. The outcome for the city-wide total therefore depends in part on what happens to existing trees and new planting outside City-managed sites.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 【8 Premium Bonsai Seed Varieties】This kit contains 8 types of high-quality bonsai seeds: Wisteria, Crape Myrtle, Locust, Spruce, Black Pine, Jacaranda, Pigeon Pea and Flame Tree. All non-GMO seeds are screened for excellent germination rate. Grow gorgeous flowering and evergreen miniature trees to build your exclusive indoor miniature landscape.
- 【All-in-One 40-Piece Complete Starter Kit】No extra purchases needed! The 40-piece set comes with jute growing pots, coco coir soil discs, professional gardening hand tools, spray bottle, plant markers and a woven storage basket. Every supply you need from sowing seeds to pruning mature bonsai is packed neatly in one gift box.
- 【Beginner-Friendly Step-by-Step Growing Guide】We include a detailed instruction booklet with 4 simple growing steps: seed soaking, soil preparation, sowing and seedling care. It walks you through the whole growth cycle from 2-month seedlings to 5-year mature bonsai, even if you have zero gardening experience.
- 【Premium Germination & Long-Term Cultivation Experience】Our seeds are carefully screened to ensure high sprouting success within 1-2 weeks. The breathable jute pots and nutrient-rich coco peat prevent root rot, supporting steady growth. You can shape and train your trees year after year to build stunning living bonsai artworks.
- 【Ideal Holiday & Hobby Gift for Plant Lovers】Packaged in an elegant printed gift box, this DIY bonsai planting set is a thoughtful present for Christmas, birthdays and Father’s Day. It’s a relaxing meditative hobby for adults, teens and gardening enthusiasts, far more meaningful than short-lived cut flowers.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
