This policy aims to protect the natural assets we already have, restore what's been degraded, and strengthen wildlife habitat across the electorate.
It focuses on mature trees, remaining native bushland, local creeks and waterways, and supports residents in creating wildlife-friendly gardens that help reconnect fragmented habitat corridors.
Building on work already underway by councils, community groups and environmental organisations, the policy directs support to projects that deliver tangible benefits for both residents and our local wildlife.
The three key priorities:
Mature trees & canopy
Retain what we have
Replace what we lose
Mature trees are valuable community and environmental assets; we should do more to retain them— particularly when government projects are being planned — while continuing to grow tree cover through sensible planting and replacement.
I'll work with councils, State agencies and local groups like the Croydon Conservation Society to build a shared tree and canopy baseline, and push for state agencies to design around mature trees on government-managed sites such as schools, roads and rail land. Where trees genuinely need to be removed, I'll advocate for a "grow-back" principle that replaces the canopy and habitat value lost, not just the number of trees.
I'll also work with councils and environmental groups to establish a State–Council Significant Tree Partnership, and push for funding that covers both planting and the ongoing care new trees need to establish.
Creeks & waterways
Clean water
Healthy parks & reserves
Our creeks, drainage reserves, parks and remaining pockets of native vegetation make our neighbourhoods better places to live and provide important habitat. Where these areas have been degraded, relatively modest investment can make a real difference.
I'll work with councils, State agencies, Traditional Owners and local environmental groups to identify where that investment would have the greatest impact, then push for targeted funding to remove rubbish, control priority weeds and revegetate degraded waterways with locally indigenous species — building on the programs and local knowledge already underway rather than duplicating them.
I'll also work with councils and land managers to protect remaining pockets of high-value native vegetation from unnecessary clearing, and to close the gaps between creek corridors, parks and reserves so wildlife can move safely between them.
Wildlife neighbourhoods
Your garden
A stepping stone for wildlife
Wildlife habitat is more than one continuous reserve. Hundreds of small, wildlife-friendly gardens can provide valuable stepping stones between larger areas of native vegetation, helping wildlife move through our established suburbs, while bringing the simple joy of seeing native birds, frogs and other wildlife in our own backyards.
I will advocate for additional State support that builds on existing council programs – such as Maroondah's Nature Havens and Yarra Ranges' Gardens for Wildlife and Ribbons of Green – to help residents create small habitat patches that contribute to a wider network of wildlife-friendly gardens across the electorate.
This includes identifying where additional private-property habitat along existing wildlife corridors could strengthen wildlife movement, and prioritising those properties for targeted outreach, gardening advice and practical support.
I'll also advocate for participating households to receive a free "Wildlife Protector" garden sign to recognise their contribution, and for an opt-in map to show how individual gardens are helping connect habitat across the electorate.