Published on Thursday, 24 September 2026 at 10:15:00 AM
Vincent has been finding new ways to use water more wisely, support healthier green spaces and keep more waste out of landfill.
The work is part of our Enhanced Environment Strategy (EES) 2025-2030 that focuses on three things that matter most to the community. These are urban greening and biodiversity, water conservation and management and resource conservation and waste.
In our first year since launching the strategy, we have significantly reduced in groundwater use in parks and facilities, planted more native Australian trees and improved the health of wetlands.
To celebrate National Biodiversity Month, we are highlighting the targets that have been achieved so far. These include:
| Target by 2030 |
Achievement |
How we did it |
| 10 per cent reduction in groundwater consumption across City operations. |
Groundwater use cut by 16.9 per cent, from 602,110kL to 500,061kL. |
Upgraded irrigation systems at Birdwood Square, Beatty Park and Weld Square. Introduced weather monitoring and soil moisture sensors. |
| Achieve a best management practice score of 'average' (or greater) for all wetlands in the nutrient scorecard from the South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare. |
Wetland health rating reached 'excelling'.
Improved from 64 per cent in 2023/24 to 83 per cent in 2024/25.
|
Improved stormwater management, fertiliser and pesticide use, introduced better weed management and rolled out more training for staff. |
| Approximately 90 per cent of new trees planted continue to thrive. |
The trees planted over the past 12 months are still healthy. |
Strengthened tree monitoring through Tree Plotter, targeted tree care, improved irrigation and better growing conditions. |
| New planting to include 75 per cent Australian species, with a preference for WA species. |
94 per cent of new trees were Australian natives, including 60 per cent from WA. |
Added the requirement through the new Street Tree Policy. |
| Material recovery increased to 85 per cent. |
89.5 per cent of material collected from the FOGO and Recycling bins was turned into useful products instead of going to landfill. |
Maintained FOGO and kerbside recycling services alongside community education and contamination-reduction initiatives. |
The City continues to work on the remaining targets, which include a five per cent reduction in scheme water consumption across its operations, and reduced urban heat island impacts through targeted street tree planting along Underground Power routes. We are also strengthening protections for mature trees in new developments.
In addition, we will be delivering community education across the three EES themes including native gardening, composting and home waste reduction workshops and videos.
It was also endorsed as a Gold Waterwise Council by the Water Corporation back in May, a recognition it has consistently maintained for more than a decade.
The endorsement reflects recent sustainability initiatives including the waterwise conservation of Beatty Park, urban biodiversity improvements along the Derbarl Yerrigan and water sensitive urban design initiatives such as replenishing groundwater at Menzies Park using stormwater runoff.
The City’s GreenTrack program won the Environmental Sustainability category at the National Awards for Local Government in June 2026.
The strategy is aligned with the Enhanced Environment priority in the Strategic Community Plan, which aims to make the best use of natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations.
View the full annual progress report here.
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