FOUR months out from council elections, Melville mayor Russell Aubrey has announced a plan to develop funding models for an urban forest “to mitigate the effects of climate change”.

It’s a long-term plan that might not see boots on the ground planting trees for up to seven years, but Mr Aubrey wants CEO Shayne Silcox to find funding options “for discussion and future consideration” at July’s information session.

The idea’s been unanimously endorsed by councillors and if they give it the go ahead it’ll be rolled into the city’s community plan, which runs til 2022.

There are four prongs to Mr Aubrey’s motion:

• increase tree canopy to keep the streets cooler. Melville has about 18.8 per cent tree cover, putting it in the bottom half of Perth council areas. Melbourne city council found street trees can reduce surface temperatures by 38.3 degrees celsius compared to the ground in the blazing sunlight on the hottest days;

• assess how vulnerable the foreshore is to sea level rise along the Swan and Canning River. Water in the area is expected to rise between 1.2m and 1.8m by 2100;

• kick up their foreshore restoration strategy a notch and get on with more work. So far they’ve been installing baffles and planting sedges to stop erosion and trying to control weeds. It’s an important habitat for waterbirds like the black swan and others that fly here from as far as the northern hemisphere;

• develop vegetation and nature corridors to preserve biodiversity.

Mr Aubrey’s term expires in October.

by DAVID BELL