This article was originally published in the March 2025 editon of Ecotone. Read the full edition here.
Over forty year old Fig beside St John’s Anglican Church that the church has applied for permission to remove despite the 5 metres of shade it provides over the street.
Urban trees provide far more than just aesthetic appeal; they are essential to the health and well-being of people, wildlife, and the environment. In tropical climates like ours in Gimuy (Cairns) where heat and climate challenges are becoming more pronounced, trees play a critical role in cooling our city, mitigating climate change, and offering habitats for local wildlife.
As we face hotter temperatures and more damaging and unpredictable weather due to climate change, planting and protecting our urban trees is only becoming more critical. However, as members of CAFNEC’s newly formed Tree Action Group (TAG) know, this isn’t as easy as it should be.
The Importance of Trees for Cool Streets
Heat is the number one killer in Australia, responsible for thousands of deaths in our community annually. Our wildlife also feel the heat; the 2018 heatwave wiped out a third of the Spectacled Flying Fox population in Cairns, a stark reminder of the devastating impacts of heat on both humans and wildlife.
According to the Mackay Regional Council’s strategy for a ‘Cool, Clean City’, shade trees can reduce daytime temperatures in urban areas by up to 20°C and mitigate the urban heat island effect. These cooling effects can significantly reduce the need for air conditioning, lowering energy costs for residents, easing the strain on the power grid during heatwaves, and protecting vulnerable community members who are susceptible to heat-related illness.
Having shady streets also makes active transport, walking and riding, a more realistic option for getting around the city – reducing emissions from cars and our reliance on fossil fuels. Another important piece in local climate action.
Urban trees also support biodiversity by providing food, shelter, and habitat for a variety of species, including pollinators like bats and birds, who play essential roles in maintaining our local ecosystems.
The loss of shade trees in Cairns
Lost: Le Grand Park Fig that was cut down by Cairns Regional Council in 2024
We have seen so many trees axed even just in the past 12 months. Unfortunately the general attitude across the region towards trees seems to only focus on the costs of maintenance and the hassle of having to remove them for development.
Additionally, a lack of proper management, including poor pruning practices by companies like Ergon, has further contributed to the degradation of these valuable urban assets.
Examples of trees that have been lost unnecessarily include the beloved Weeping Figs at the Tennis Club and the Le Grande Park in Freshwater which were removed due to complaints about fallen branches and roots invading neighbouring gardens. The Mango trees along Cedar Road in Holloways Beach were cleared for a footpath in February 2025.
The St John’s Anglican Church fig and three White Rock figs are currently on the chopping block. TAG are advocating with community members for the applications to cut them down be refused by Cairns Regional Council due to the incredible shade & amenity the trees gift the community.
Despite the challenges in trying to save our shade trees we know that there are wins in sight. The community has demonstrated countless times that when we come together, we can save trees that were once condemned. The best example of this in Gimuy is the campaign to save the T5 tree, still standing outside the Cairns Central Library. A community campaign through 2021 and 2022 saved the tree after the Cairns Regional Council wrongly claimed the tree was too sick to remain.
T5 Fig tree outside Cairns City Library that was saved by a community campaign in 2022
What are the solutions?
Looking abroad, we see Paris has embraced an ambitious plan to remove 60,000 parking spaces by 2030 and replace them with street trees as part of its broader strategy to combat climate change and adapt to a hotter climate. It’s a great example of incorporating nature-based solutions for climate adaptation. We’d love to see something at an appropriate scale in Cairns. Planting suitable native shade tree species along streets and footpaths in cleared suburban areas will help cool neighbourhoods and promote active transport.
Educating and empowering the community to be involved is also critical. Helping residents understand the value of trees will reduce complaints and unnecessary removals and build capacity and support for new greening initiatives.
It is also important to shift Council policy to require new housing and infrastructure developments to maintain existing shade trees, encouraging community and developers to value the benefits of the trees instead of only seeing the costs. The CAFNEC Tree Action Group has been advocating for this as a solution with the Kenfrost development in White Rock where they have applied to remove three significant figs. (See below the two development proposals side by side).
Fig 1 of 3 that Kenfrost has proposed to cut down to make way for 50 lot development of standalone houses in White Rock
Get Involved in Saving Our Shade
We need more community members to join the Tree Action Group: help us monitor tree removals, advocate for increased canopy cover, and take action to educate the community on the benefits of our shade trees. We currently meet fortnightly on a Tuesday at the Cairn City Library. Get in touch with Monique at getinvolved@nullcafnec.org.au.
Sign the petition to save St Johns fig and stay up to date with TAGs work here: https://cafnec.nationbuilder.com/save_our_shade
See a tree marked for removal?
1. Take photos of the whole tree, record the location and email both to the TAG team at trees@nullcafnec.org.au.
2. Email the Cairns Regional Council to request the reason for the removal and when it is scheduled to happen. The address should be printed on the sign attached to the tree.
As we continue to adapt to climate change, trees will remain one of our most important allies. Let’s work together to protect and plant more trees for a cooler, cleaner, and more vibrant Far North Queensland.
