Urban Initiatives

Urban Initiatives' Director Tim Hart sat down with Landscape Australia Emily Wong for an interesting discussion about post-bushfire recovery and how Landscape Architects can contribute.

"Be open and listen": Tim Hart on landscape architecture and post-bushfire recovery Tim Hart, director of Urban Initiatives which worked on several projects in the wake of the Black Saturday fires, emphasizes the importance of listening and long-term strategizing when working with recovering communities.

THANK YOU on behalf of Urban Initiatives + the Bulleen River Red Gum for your votes and for assisting us by extending this campaign beyond our networks.
We received confirmation on Monday from the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) that our nominated tree has emerged victorious and that they will be contacting the North East Link Authority to discuss options for its retention.
The fact that together we have been able to do this, we see as a real beacon of hope which reaches beyond this particular issue.

We are calling upon all our colleagues, clients and friends to stand with us by, in the first instance, voting for the Bulleen River Red Gum. The more votes we can muster for this tree, the more we hope to raise awareness of the broader concerns - namely that this is not an isolated issue, that these trees are sacred, that they are irreplaceable and that the know-how exists to do so much better.

There is no dispute regarding the need for upgrades and improved infrastructure. The need for development is not what is in question. What we need to be convinced of is that everything in our power is being done to ensure that in the planning and design of these projects, our landscapes are being prioritised proportionally to their huge significance and irreplaceable value. We know that the expertise and ability to work creatively within constraints and find solutions which minimise impact upon the things which are important to all of us exists to do this. It is what we do.

River Red Gum
Corner Bridge Street and Manningham Road, Bulleen

This tree is over 300 years old, with a height of 20m, a spread of 17m and a trunk circumference of 6m. It was saved by a local resident when the block it's located on was cleared. The tree faces possible removal once again, this time to make way for the North East Link Project, however options are being explored to retain the tree.

Click 'LIKE' to vote for the River Red Gum for the 2019 Victorian Tree of the Year.

More: www.nationaltrust.org.au/treeoftheyear