Lucy Smithett, a member of OFF and Project Penshurst, gave an insightful, engaging and well appreciated presentation on urban sustainability in various LGAs. The 50 attendees packing the hall and online were provided with examples of sustainability from Penrith, Blacktown and Sydney LGAs as well as an overseas urban sustainability project based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Lucy described how these projects were attempting to offset increasing urban heat island effects as well as having a positive impact on tree canopy coverage. A lengthy and lively Q&A session followed, including discussions on ‘Project Penshurst’ and how to re-green local parks and streets in Mortdale and Penshurst. Important aspects emerging from this discussion were the necessity for including under-story planting to encourage the return of wildlife, and retaining the existing tree cover in our LGA.
This presentation can be viewed on OFF’s YouTube channel here (with sub-titles).
Promo
OFF member Lucy Smithett will discuss government promises to improve our environment, alongside success stories and exemplars implemented in greening our cities. Lucy is a student at the University of Technology, Sydney, studying law and science, majoring in environmental biology. She will also examine solutions to prevent an increasing urban heat island effect and the urban heat island mitigation performance index, and the significance of increased canopy coverage.
Lucy is a member of Project Penshurst 2222 which was established in May 2024 to improve the safety and enhance the aesthetic appeal of Penshurst, restoring the charm of this historic suburb, which has a low percentage of tree canopy, leading to heat vulnerability.