Expanding Sydney’s urban tree canopy could deliver more than $1 billion in annual health savings — and the land to do it, says a new report from the Committee for Sydney, is largely already in public hands.

The figure comes from University of Sydney research showing that residents with greater access to tree canopy are significantly less likely to require hospitalisation for cardiovascular disease. The Committee for Sydney has now used that finding to build a case for urgent greening investment as the city prepares for significant population growth under the NSW government’s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) program.

“Billions of dollars are on the line if we don’t get this right,” says Committee for Sydney policy lead Estelle Grech. “That’s a cost to people’s health, their budgets, but also the state’s health budget. It’s really important because Sydney is growing. We need to build more housing, but we need to do it well.”

The report frames the challenge as “breathable density” — integrating canopy and green space into housing-dense precincts rather than treating them as competing priorities. It also points to documented mental health benefits of accessible urban greenery as an additional dividend.

An uneven canopy

Greater Sydney’s current tree canopy sits at 21.7 per cent — well below the NSW government’s target of 40 per cent cover by 2036. But the city-wide average masks a stark disparity: TOD-nominated precincts in Sydney’s north, such as Hornsby, Roseville and Lindfield, enjoy canopy cover above 30 per cent, while western suburbs train stations like St Mary’s and Lidcombe sit below 10 per cent.

“We have good tree canopy in some parts of the city,” Grech says. “The problem is that it’s not fair. Where you live really determines whether you have access to good public space, good tree canopy or access to water.”

The equity dimension sharpens the urgency. A previous Committee for Sydney report found heatwaves were already costing Western Sydney $1.4 billion annually in productivity losses, health costs and household cooling — costs that fall disproportionately on communities with the least shade.

Greenways as the low-hanging fruit

The report identifies a practical path forward: a series of new greenways through Western Sydney, built along land already owned by councils and Sydney Water. Two proposed routes stand out — one linking Prospect Reservoir to the Cooks River, another connecting the Parramatta River to the Georges River via Duck River and Salt Pan Creek through Auburn, Yagoona and Bankstown.

“It’s really an opportunity to use disused waterways that need some love, plant them out, increase tree canopy but also increase public space,” Grech says. Because the land is largely publicly owned, she argues these corridors represent genuinely achievable gains — low-hanging fruit in a city where suitable planting sites are increasingly scarce.

Government action

The Minns Labor government has responded with two recent moves. Last week it established the Blue Green Grid Committee to coordinate planning across agencies responsible for parkland and waterways, ensuring green infrastructure is developed as a connected network rather than isolated interventions. This week, it announced the transfer of 28 hectares along the Duck River Corridor to Cumberland City Council as protected open space — land that overlaps with one of the greenway routes proposed in the Committee for Sydney report.

“The challenge to provide more green space alongside more homes and jobs is one I take seriously,” says NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully. “As Sydney grows, it should grow greener, and that is exactly what this government is delivering.”

Earlier this year, the NSW government awarded $35.1 million to 131 greening projects across Greater Sydney.

Image: Committee for Sydney

Architecture & Design Team

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