Urban tree canopy and green spaces keep neighbourhoods healthy, cool, and liveable.
The Department has partnered with Resilient Sydney and local councils to create a program that helps councils undertake strategic planning to make their communities greener and shadier. This program offers policy advice, updated data, and financial support so councils can plan and manage urban forests.
2026 Greener Neighbourhoods grant program – now open
The NSW Government is providing $2.58 million to help councils plan for resilient urban forests and cooler neighbourhoods. The funding is available to councils across Greater Sydney, the Hunter–Central Coast and Illawarra–Shoalhaven regions through a non–competitive grant program.
Each council can apply for up to $60,000 of funding to build the strategic, data, and governance foundations needed to deliver urban greening and mitigate urban heat.
For further details about the application process and assessment criteria, download the Greener neighbourhoods grant guidelines (PDF 427 KB).
Applications close at 5:00 pm, Friday 21 August 2026.
For any questions, please contact the team via email [email protected].
Read more on previous successful grant recipients and the projects funded by the Greener Neighbourhoods grant.
Greener neighbourhoods guide
Updated in July 2026, the Greener neighbourhoods guide (PDF 5.8 MB) supports councils across NSW who want to establish, build upon or re-envisage strategic planning for the urban forest.
The guide provides clear, practical steps for understanding, planning, monitoring and managing urban forests, helping promote best practice and consistency across councils.
The updated guide also includes refreshed site canopy targets as well as new case studies of projects delivered successfully through the first round of Greener Neighbourhoods grants.
Urban heat and canopy data in your council area
The Department regularly updates urban tree canopy data to help councils decide where to plant trees and to track changes in canopy over time.
A Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) for the Greater Sydney region supports understanding of how communities are affected by urban heat and underlying drivers of vulnerability.
To find out about the types of data we publish and to access our most recent canopy datasets, visit urban heat and tree canopy data.
Currently, the tree canopy data is only available for Greater Sydney councils, but we’re working to expand it from Newcastle to Shoalhaven. This additional data will be released once available.
Your council snapshot
Use the map filter to explore the urban heat and greening snapshots alongside housing targets for your local government area by selecting the map pin. Alternatively, navigate the map or use the list view to find out more about your council snapshot.
Urban greening resources
Which Plant Where?
Which Plant Where helps practitioners and decision makers find plant species that can withstand climate change across Australia. It also offers resources and best practice guides to overcome common challenges in creating and maintaining greenspace.
Local Government NSW
Local Government NSW represents the interests of general and special purpose councils across the state. It works to strengthen and protect an effective, democratic local government system by advocating for member councils and providing quality services.
Resilient Sydney
Resilient Sydney is a collaboration of the 33 Greater Sydney Councils working with State and Federal Government, business, academia and community to strengthen the resilience of our city.
Treenet
Treenet is Australia’s national hub for urban tree research and education, offering networking, resources, training and event opportunities.
Australian Citizen Science Association (ACSA)
ACSA is a member-based association dedicated to advancing citizen science through the knowledge sharing, collaboration, capacity building and advocacy.
Greener Spaces Better Places
Greener Spaces Better Places, originally the 202020 Vision program, unities communities, growers, government, academia, business, industry and everyday people to make our homes, streets and suburbs greener. Every green space counts towards a greener Australia.
Biodiversity in Place
The Biodiversity in Place framework provides guidance on how to integrate biodiversity into our urban spaces, from verges, backyards and rooftops to road, railways and creek corridors.
Cooler Places
Cooler Places is an online resource that provides clear guidance on how to use urban structure, greening, water and cool materials as building blocks to create cooler, more resilient places to live.
How to grow an urban forest
The how to grow an urban forest guide is built on a decade of research by the City of Melbourne and helps councils develop effective urban planning strategies
Trees for Cities
A UK charity, Trees for Cities operates nationally and internationally, improving lives by planting trees in urban areas.
Urban Forest Management Toolkit
The Urban Forest Management Tookit is a collection of tools that are available internationally.
Urban Green Cover Technical Guidelines
The Urban Green Cover Technical Guidelines offer clear, practical advice on adapting urban spaces with green cover projects to enhance sustainability and resilience.
Urban Greeners’ Resource Hub
Greener Spaces Better Places and Living Melbourne joined to create the Urban Greeners’ Resource Hub. This collection brings together best practice tools, guides, resources and case studies to support urban greening professionals in protecting and enhancing Australia’s urban forests and green spaces.
Urban Heat Planning Toolkit
The Urban Heat Planning Toolkit highlights practical strategies for new development and redevelopment to reduce urban heat and support community adaption.
Cool Suburbs Tool
This Cool Suburbs Tool is available to councils, government and industry to undertake voluntary self–assessments of cooling interventions of proposed developments including at the city or precinct scale.
Urban Tree Canopy Targets & Development Controls
- Urban Tree Canopy Targets & Development Controls Report (PDF, 8.2 MB)
- Appendix A (PDF, 552 KB)
- Appendix B (PDF, 14.1 MB)
- Appendix C (PDF, 8.5 MB)
This report set voluntary best practice targets and planning controls to enhance tree canopy. It explains how the targets are developed and showcases design solutions to help achieve them.
Water Efficiency Study for Urban Tree Management
The NSW government commissioned a water efficiency study to help councils support responsible tree planting. This study provides guidance on sustainable water use to ensure trees thrive in urban environments. Read the Water Efficiency Study for Urban Tree Management – Final report June 2020 (PDF, 3.6 MB)
NSW Water Sensitive Urban Design Guide
The NSW Water Sensitive Urban Design Guide promotes a consistent water sensitive approach to urban design across the state. The guide explains the need for improved water management, outlines designed outcomes and sets out a flexible place–based process that can be followed at multiple scales and in diverse contexts.
Western Sydney Street Design Guidelines
The Western Sydney Street Design Guidelines aim to design streets that enhance environmental, social and health outcomes for everyone. The guidelines primarily support new greenfield development areas in Western Sydney but can also apply to evolving urban areas undergoing significant change.
Designing for a cool city – Guidelines for passively irrigated landscapes
Designing for a cool city – Guidelines for passively irrigated landscapes produced by the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities provides guidance for councils, government, and industry on how to use stormwater to improve the health of plants and trees and design passively irrigated landscapes.
Trees for a cool city – Guidelines for optimised tree placement
Trees for a cool city – Guidelines for optimised tree placement produced by CRC for Water Sensitive Cities provides guidance for councils, government and industry to optimise tree placement to maximise the cooling effects of street trees and deliver the largest benefits for human thermal comfort.
Street Tree Planting Design Manual
Street Tree Planting Design Manual (PDF 11 KB) is a how to guide for councils, government, and industry to identify and prioritise streets for tree planting, design considerations and innovative tree planting solutions.
Copperfield Drive Technical Study
Copperfield Drive Technical Study (PDF 8 KB) provides councils, government, and industry with an example of best-practice design for street trees and integrated water management systems.
Framework for Valuing Green Infrastructure and Public Spaces
The Framework for Valuing Green Infrastructure and Public Spaces (PDF, 1 MB) provides a standardised, robust and comprehensive way for councils, government and industry to identify and quantify costs and benefits associated with green infrastructure and public spaces. Available as a companion document to NSW Treasury Cost Benefit Analysis Guidelines.
Atlas of Living Australia
The Atlas of Living Australia is a free online database that shares information about where Australian plants, animals, and fungi live. It's open to everyone and supports research, conservation, and environmental management.
Australian Plant Name Index
The Australian Plant Name Index tool helps track plant names and their use in scientific literature, whether as official names or synonyms. It supports accurate classification and research in plant science.
Kew Gardens Plants of the World
The Kew Gardens Plants of the World tool has 1,198,000 plant names, 106,800 descriptions, and 278,600 images. It helps people find plant names, learn about them, and see pictures for easy identification. Great for researchers, conservationists, and plant lovers.
More information
This grant round is being administered by the Department. For enquiries or more information, email the team at [email protected]