Mount Gambier residents will notice more trees on the city’s streets in the coming year, after Mount Gambier City Council adopted its 2022 street tree program at its latest elected members meeting.

With the goal of increasing the number of trees across the city, each year at least 250 new trees will be planted.

In total a net gain of 255 street trees will be planted this year.

These include varieties like Australian Willow, Callery Pear, Crepe Myrtle, Gawler Hybrid ‘Bottlebrush’, Purple Leaf Cherryplum, and Southworth Dancer Pear.

The trees will be planted on Walter Street, Kennedy Avenue, Wehl Street North, Alexander Street, Amor Street, Brilliant Street, Marara Street, Smith Street, Bertha Street and St Andrews Drive.

“A green canopy for our city is important and valued by our residents, providing environmental, social, health and wellbeing, along with economic benefits and visual amenity,” Mayor Lynette Martin said.

Residents who live on these streets will receive a notification letter three months before the plantings occur allowing those who do not wish to participate to opt out of the program.

At council’s most recent meeting when the program was announced, councillors also asked whether trees would be planted on the rail trail.

“I’m sure every other councillor would agree it’s one of the most common things we hear from people is the lack of trees on the rail trail,” Councillor Ben Hood said.

City infrastructure acting general manager Barbara Cernovskis responded that council would first need to establish what level of ownership it has over the corridor before deciding on the matter.

But Cr Steven Perryman said it was clear in the deed of transfer from the state government to council for the rail trail that it was not allowed to plant trees on the trail.