MUNDARING’S Urban Canopy Grant Program is no longer active, being overridden by the state’s approach focused on addressing tree canopy loss caused by polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB).

The topic was brought back into focus through a resident’s question in the March 10 council meeting with council taking then question on notice and publicising the response in April.

The current approach for maintaining healthy canopies in the shire is led by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER).

This includes the WA Tree Recovery Program which provides residents with a rebate of up to $150 for replacement trees and associated planting items where trees have been removed under DPIRD authority.

Mundaring urban tree canopy funding (Echo News, January 24, 2025) reported the shire secured $82,953 through the urban greening grant program for enhancing tree canopy and vegetative cover in Greenmount and Swan View.

Under this grant more than 200 trees were to be planted where urban canopy was lacking.

But by mid 2025, PSHB change a turning point says Mundaring president (Echo News, June 27) reported the coordinated response to the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) which had been threatening tree health in Mundaring, had officially moved from an eradication phase to long-term management.

At the time, Shire of Mundaring President Paige McNeil said it marked a critical turning point although the shire had not been advised of any confirmed PSHB tree infestations within its local government area.

Now, the PSHB still remained categorised as an active pest by DPIRD with Mundaring being sectioned off as part of its containment zone.

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is managing the delivery of the WA Tree Recovery Program and offering rebates for trees removed from private properties under Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development authority due to shot-hole borer.

Residents who purchased a replacement tree after the launch of the program on July 28, 2025, are not eligible for a rebate under the Tree Recovery Program.

Although, residents who had trees removed by DPIRD have an eligibility window spanning back to November 18, 2021 as this was the date that Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development removed the first tree impacted by PSHB.

In this case, a claim may be made for each tree that was removed by DPIRD during the management of PSHB.

Tree planting establishment items were also able to be included in the $150 claim including soil, soil improver, fertiliser, mulch, soil wetting agent, tree support stakes and guards and additional eligible trees.

Anyone applying for the rebate must also ensure a replacement tree’s canopy will reach at least 3m tall when mature.

Residents looking to claim the rebate must purchase an eligible replacement tree from a commercial Western Australian nursery or garden centre, with all eligible purchases made in one transaction.

The trees do not need to be a native species.

They must also plant the tree on their property and claim the rebate through the ServiceWA app or paper claim form.

The rebate program that replaced the Urban Canopy Grant Program was launched on 28 July 2025 and will remain open until late 2028.