Planting street trees

As well as beautifying older suburbs, we've integrated the findings from aerial heat and canopy mapping to help us prioritise planting locations based on tree canopy cover, vulnerable populations to heat, and pedestrian generators such as schools, shops etc. We also seize opportunities to green streets whenever other major project works are planned and incorporate water sensitive urban design elements to naturally water trees.

Jump over to the urban heat and canopy mapping and you can use the same technology to see where hot spots and gaps are around your garden so that you can decide where you'd like to plant additional trees at home . 

The majority of trees we plant around the council area are grown from seed by our nursery staff at the Seaford Meadows depot.  We expanded the nursery a few years ago to cope with extra demand.  The remainder are purchased from specialist wholesale plant nurseries.

If you're looking for some guidance on where to purchase trees and plants for your garden at home, this native plant nurseries list is a good place to start.  Still planning what to plant?  Check out the Planting at Home section of our website for ideas, plus don't forget that we have an annual native tree giveaway that can help green your yard.

The majority of trees we plant are drought tolerant native species.  However, it’s important that our Arborists match the right tree for the right location.  So, during the assessment phase, consideration is given to any existing streetscape plantings, the location and any infrastructure present.

Absolutely!  We want our trees to thrive and be safe for everyone.

Pruning of the new trees will occur as part of a planned maintenance schedule, at which time our field crews will also check and prune existing trees.

However, if you believe your council tree needs pruning, lodge a customer request below and we’ll send one of our Urban Forest team out to assess it, and if required give it a trim. 

Lodge a request for tree pruning

All new trees planted require water and a little extra care to help them establish and succeed.

Street trees planted as part of our Suburb Improvement Program of works will be watered, cared for and pruned by council as part of a scheduled maintenance program.  

During the summer, we encourage residents to water street trees with a bucket of water a week to boost our watering program. Supplementary watering is only for those trees that are still becoming established – they’re easily recognisable as they still have tree-wells at their trunks.  

Residents that are not receiving trees as part of our planned program of works but that have requested to be part of our Adopt a Tree program, agree to be wholly responsible for watering trees planted in their verge as part of the application process. 

We're also making use of mother nature to water street trees. Treenet stormwater kerb inlets are being connected in areas where we're undertaking streetscape improvements or rebuilding the kerbing.

The Urban Forest team are scheduling trees to be planted within the following suburbs in the next couple of years (subject to change):

• 2025 Aldinga Beach (Silver Sands), Sellicks Beach and Port Willunga
• 2026 Maslin Beach, Moana and Seaford Rise
• 2027 Moana and Seaford Rise

In the last few years the team have been busy planting new trees for the community to enjoy and homeowners to benefit from in:

• Aldinga Beach 
• Christie Downs 
• Hackham
• Hackham West
• Huntfield Heights
• Noarlunga Downs 
• Pt Willunga

If you'd like a tree planted on your verge and it hasn't occurred as part of the Suburb Improvement Program you may still be eligible to apply as part of our Adopt a Tree program. 

If your street is going to receive new trees the process is as follows: 

1. A temporary sign will be installed at the start and end of the road outlining tree planting works are to occur.
2. An arborist will visit the street and assess suitable locations for the trees taking into consideration existing infrastructure above and below ground, access and sizing.
3. The arborist will determine the number and species of trees to be planted that best suit your street and overall location and the pavement will be marked to indicate where trees are to be planted.
4. Residents of the street will receive a calling card notifying them that they are (or are not) to receive a tree outside of their property and outlining the species of tree that will be planted.  At this stage you have two weeks in which to find out more using online resources and if need be contact our Urban Forest team.
5. Trees will then be planted and not removed.  Council will water, care for and prune the trees as part of an ongoing maintenance schedule.   

You can be assured that a trained arborist has determined the species of trees to be planted to best suit your street and overall location.  They have considered existing infrastructure above and below ground, access and sizing when making this decision.

If you wish to discuss the species selected or have concerns about the planting due to occur, please contact our Urban Forest team on 8384 0666 within the two week period immediately following the date of the calling card being left in your post-box.

Our Urban Forest team plants a mixture of exotic, native and indigenous species throughout Onkaparinga’s suburban streetscapes. This approach places our region in the best position to respond to pest, disease, climatic challenges and provides high level aesthetic value. The need to have a resilient tree stock has never been more critical.

While we most often plants native trees throughout our open space and reserves, the use of exotic trees within streetscapes is highly successful. Exotic trees often provide enhanced visual amenity as they change with the seasons, they provide shade in the summer and allow warm winter sun to penetrate throughout the cooler months, and their form can be manipulated to cope with the challenges of roadway, footway, overhead conductors, etc.

Street trees are nurtured from seed and carefully planted and cared for by our dedicated high-vis army who take great pride in greening Onkaparinga. Sadly, across the region a number of trees are vandalised each year.  We need your help! 

WHAT TO DO:

• Report vandalism to council using the online customer request form, by calling our customer service team on 8384 0666 or popping into one of our offices in person.
• An Urban Forest Officer will then visit and assess the damage

• We will report the issue to SA Police who will investigate
• Our crews will plant a replacement tree if requested

You can help put a stop to street tree vandalism by spreading the word of the importance of trees to your friends, family and wider community. 

When assessing the suitability of locations for planting new street trees, arborists take a number of factors into consideration to ensure that trees will thrive and grow.   

The rule of thumb is that they need to ensure that new trees are not planted any closer than 3m from a driveway, 6m from a corner plot or 1.5m from the kerb.

Other factors include existing underground services that will be compromised by digging or tree roots, planting on a corner or driveway that may block line of sight, a nearby home has solar panels that will be shaded, or existing vegetation is present.

Our Urban Forest team place tree-wells around all newly planted street trees.  This helps to keep watering and fertiliser focused around the tree trunk, giving each tree the best chance of survival. 

At around the three-year mark the tree will have developed a large network of roots and so our crews remove the tree-wells and conclude the watering program.