Adelaide is in a predicament. We need to balance city life conveniences with a healthy environment. Green Adelaide is here to lead Adelaide towards just that balance. Read on to learn why and how.
Green Adelaide is a new government supported statutory board (established in July 2020) with a vision to create a cooler, greener, wilder and climate-resilient metropolitan South Australia. Green Adelaide’s region spans across SA’s 17 metropolitan council areas, stretching from the Gawler River in the north to Sellicks Beach in the south, and about a third of Gulf St Vincent (a body of water off the coast of SA).
Like many cities, Adelaide is under pressure from the impacts of urban densification (aka compact suburbs and increasing urban infill), climate change and loss of natural habitat.
Why does Adelaide need to be greener?
Because Adelaide’s growth and prosperity depend on it.
We need to change our ways, and live with wildlife, and connect more with nature. This is key to battling the challenges of a drying and warming climate, as well as safeguarding and promoting the health and wellbeing of everyone.
Green Adelaide will take the lead across Adelaide’s 17 metropolitan council areas to become more climate-resilient by delivering:
- On-ground and practical environmental projects.
- Building and sharing knowledge about Adelaide’s environment.
- Deepening Adelaidians love of and connection with nature.
Green Adelaide also wants to partner with you, with the Kaurna people, communities, businesses and organisations to deliver on our vision with funding, advice, research, information sharing and skills development.
What can you do to green Adelaide?
Think about your backyard or frontyard, roof, council/nature strip, verges, local park, school, or main road medium strip.
We want to explore and support cooler and greener ideas to make more nature-friendly areas across Adelaide. Everyone will reap the wellbeing and economic benefits. Life will be better. And that’s not an exaggeration.
Seven priorities that guide are our work are:
1. Coastal management
We want everyone to help look after our beautiful coastline.
Green Adelaide is working hard to protect the hooded plover, Australia’s most threatened beach nesting bird. We're also training-up coastal ambassadors to help look after Adelaide’s unique coastline and deliver coastal restoration projects.
2. Water resources and wetlands
We want everyone to play their part in looking after our rivers, wetlands and lakes – for nature and for all of us.
Green Adelaide is improving water resources by planting native plants and removing weeds to improve water quality. We've got great projects where we're creating or improving habitats like Breakout Creek to the west, and Lower Field River in the south.
3. Green streets and flourishing parklands
Tree lined streets are cooler in summer, and if we use the right mix of plants, our streets will be home to more diverse wildlife too.
Green Adelaide is providing grants (through three grant programs: Grassroots Grants, Greener Neighbourhood Grants and Water Sustainability Grants) to communities and councils to create more green streets.
4. Biodiversity and water sensitive urban design
Let’s celebrate our nature-friendly streets and neighbourhoods, and make sure every neighbourhood gets a chance to be nature-friendly. The way we build our homes, schools, shops and offices needs to be in balance with nature.
This includes plantings to create special habitats that look after threatened species, as well as managing our water better, like with rain gardens, wetlands, and using recycled water.
5. Fauna, flora and ecosystem health in the urban environment
It’s easy to forget that Adelaide has many interesting animals outside the Adelaide Zoo. Like the threatened grey-headed flying fox in Botanic Park.
We need more healthy habitats for plants, birds and animals to thrive in, and to provide people and nature a better quality of life.
Green Adelaide is helping by funding research to protect threatened species like flying-foxes, as well as supporting councils, volunteers and landholders with pest control and habitat restoration works.
6. Controlling pest plants and animals
We need to manage invasive fish, like the mosquito fish, which threaten our native fish (eat away their fins) and cause water quality to drop.
For nature to thrive with us in the city, we all need to know Adelaide’s weeds and pests.
Green Adelaide is funding weed removal and supporting environmental education to help landholders understand how best to control pest plants and animals.
7. Nature education
Nature education is not just for kids. We can all enjoy learning about Adelaide’s special natural environment.
Green Adelaide is partnering with its community to ignite everyone’s curiosity and knowledge of nature, and is delivering backyards workshops.
You can join us on the journey to create a cooler, greener, wilder and more climate-resilient Adelaide to live, work, visit, enjoy and love – learn, get involved, partner and chat with us.