Tree planting

Council recognises that our trees are important natural assets that have intrinsic and financial value to our community. Urban trees are important to our sense of place and how we feel about the community we live in. Well maintained and planned urban streetscapes lift the appearance of our neighbourhoods, and in doing so, our wellbeing and local pride.

In 2022, Council developed its first Urban Tree Strategy – setting the goal of achieving 20% urban tree canopy by 2045. Council plants 1200 street trees and 1850 local park and reserve trees each year.

Biodiversity projects

Council staff manage over 500 hectares of dryland reserves, creek lines and irrigated parks across the City. Looking after these areas for the benefit of our community involves more than mowing the grass and controlling weeds. These are key locations that can help keep our suburbs ‘cooler, greener and wilder’. We deliver biodiversity-focused projects in some parks and reserves to help with this. Projects in recent years include:

• Smith Creek linear trail – planting a mix of different species together in ‘pods’ to support existing large gum trees along the pathway network
• Whitford Reserve grasslands – trialing new weed control methods, together with not-for-profit organisation Seeding Natives, to restore the health of this significant urban grassland
• Gawler River – investing in woody weed control work along the river, in partnership with Green Adelaide

Shade Tree Subsidy Program

The Shade Tree Subsidy program partners with local businesses to provide the opportunity for residents to purchase a new tree for their garden at a discounted price. The program typically opens in September each year, and the trees needs to be purchased by the end of that year.

10 for $10 Local Native Seedlings

The popular ‘10 for $10’ native plant program runs in April each year, giving locals the chance to green their backyards and properties with native vegetation.

The annual program, which provides 10 seedlings for just $10, is part of Council’s commitment to increasing biodiversity across the city.

The region's native plants have been here since before Playford was settled, however the region is now only home to three percent of the original native vegetation. It is critical to our community’s biodiversity that we protect these local-native plants and animals.

You can help by growing local-native plants in your own backyard – you’ll be helping support our local wildlife in a way that’s easy to maintain. For information on various plants you can grow, download the Creating a Wildlife Friendly Garden booklet or check out the native plant selector tool.

Playford Greening and Landcare Group

Established in 1999, the Playford Greening and Landcare Group (PGLC) is a community organisation working with the City of Playford on local conservation. They focus on revegetation, nurturing local native plants and planting them in reserves across the community. Membership is open to all residents in Playford; you can see the current calendar of activities and contact Council to get involved!

If you're interested in seeing what our volunteers get up to at various activities, such as nursery days, field trips and community events, check out our image galleries on Flickr via the link below.

Trees for Life

Council works with Trees for Life to manage 16 Bush for Life native vegetation sites across the Playford area. These sites have the potential for further rehabilitation through targeted weed-control work. Want to get involved? Protect a local Bush for Life site by joining a local team!

Buffers to Bushland Program - Free Plants

The City of Playford offers a rural revegetation scheme called Buffers to Bushland – the scheme sees local native tubestock seedlings distributed to rural properties, schools and community groups across Playford each year. Since the program’s inception in 1999, Buffers to Bushland has distributed more than 300,000 seedlings!

If you own or manage a rural property, work for a school or part of a community group, you can place plant orders in March and April at no cost.

Plants are available in boxes of 50 with the mix of species determined by what is suitable for the location of the property registered. See the Buffers to Bushland Factsheet, and Species Lists for more information. We can also provide advice on what you need for your area.

Support for rural land management

Green Adelaide provides rural landholder support and advice on sustainable land management, remnant vegetation protection and pest plant and animal control. You can discuss this support and local environmental groups available to join with your local Landscapes Officer - call Council on 8256 0333.

Roadside marker scheme

While the City of Playford is home to some beautiful areas of native bushland and grassland, unfortunately less than six per cent of the original native vegetation now remains in the Adelaide area. Often all that is left are the strips of bush and native grasses on our roadsides, meaning some of our roadside reserve areas are vitally important environmentally; in some cases they are the last sanctuary for a variety of plant or vegetation.

It is important to protect these sanctuaries from damage during road maintenance, so they are marked with small signs which are used throughout the state. If you see this sign, please take care and appreciate the nature that remains there.