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Restoring nature in the Adelaide Park Lands

The South Australian Government is investing $15 million to make the Adelaide Park Lands greener, cooler and better for people and nature. The Greener. Cooler. Wilder. Adelaide Park Lands Nature Positive Package accompanies the Adelaide Circuit Redevelopment Project. It will support more shade, healthier waterways, stronger native habitat and more opportunities for South Australians to help restore nature.

This page will help you

Understand what the package will deliver
Learn how trees, waterways, habitat and native species will be supported
Find information about grants and ways to participate
Follow project information and updates as delivery progresses

About the Greener. Cooler. Wilder. Adelaide Park Lands Nature Positive Package

The Greener. Cooler. Wilder. Adelaide Park Lands Nature Positive Package brings together environmental projects across the Adelaide Park Lands.

The work focuses on four connected priorities:

greening the city
activating the community
revitalising the River Torrens/Karrawirra Pari and its creeks
rewilding the Park Lands.

Projects will support tree and understorey planting, habitat restoration, waterways, stormwater infrastructure, threatened species, seed conservation, grants and community participation.

Community Drop-In Sessions

Interested in learning more about the environmental projects planned across the Adelaide Park Lands?

Join us for one of three, free community drop-in information sessions to learn about the Greener. Cooler. Wilder. Adelaide Park Lands Nature Positive Package and how it will help enhance native habitat, support biodiversity and improve green spaces across the Park Lands.

We will be hosting a session on Wednesday 16 September, 6pm-8pm, and two more sessions on Thursday 17 September, 9am-11am and 6pm-8pm.

Once you've registered for a session, feel free to drop in at any time during the two hour period.

At these drop-in sessions, you'll have the opportunity to:

Explore proposed tree planting, vegetation and habitat restoration projects
Learn about planned works for the River Torrens/Karrawirra Pari and its creeks
Discover how the package will support native plants, wildlife and ecological connectivity
Find out about grants, partnerships and opportunities to get involved
Speak directly with project staff and partner organisations
Ask questions and register to receive project updates

Registration required. Register here.

Greening the city

The South Australian Government is investing $5.5 million to create more shade, strengthen native habitat and increase tree canopy and understorey across the Adelaide Park Lands.

A diverse mix of trees, shrubs and grasses will support native wildlife while protecting open spaces used for sport, recreation and relaxation.

The package also includes:

$1.1 million for a partnership with Trees For Life to grow and supply native plants and involve more South Australians in restoring the Park Lands
$350,000 to help protect and return rare, threatened, culturally significant and historically recorded plants to the south-east Park Lands
planting to create more shade, improve habitat and help make the Park Lands more resilient.

Trees, canopy and habitat

For every tree removed as part of the Adelaide Circuit Redevelopment Project, 10 trees will be planted. This will result in a net increase of at least 3,393 trees across the Adelaide Park Lands.

Around 95% of trees within the project precinct will remain untouched. Mature stock will be used for replacement trees.

For information about tree removals, biodiversity, environmental approvals and heritage considerations within the circuit precinct, visit the Department for Infrastructure and Transport’s Environment and heritage page.

Activating the community

South Australians will have more opportunities to take practical action for nature through grants, volunteering, seed conservation and community restoration.

The package includes:

a $1 million boost to Green Adelaide’s Grassroots Grants program
$1.35 million for the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre to improve its facilities, expand seed collections and create more opportunities for people to take part in plant conservation
a $250,000 South Australian Government contribution to Foundation SA’s South Australian Climate and Nature Fund, matching its initial contribution and helping attract further investment in nature.

Grassroots Grants can support eligible individuals, volunteers, community groups, recreation clubs and organisations to deliver projects that benefit native plants, animals and ecosystems. Grants range from $2,000 to $200,000.

Visit the Green Adelaide website for current information about grant rounds, eligibility and closing dates.

Revitalising the River Torrens/Karrawirra Pari and its creeks

The South Australian Government is investing $4.06 million to support a cleaner, healthier and more natural River Torrens/Karrawirra Pari and creek system.

Planned work includes:

planting along the river and its banks
improving water quality
reducing erosion and stabilising riverbanks
creating better feeding, shelter and breeding habitat for native wildlife
helping native plants, animals, insects and other species return to parts of the river system.

A further $1.1 million will improve stormwater infrastructure to help prevent pollutants from entering the river and better manage water as it moves through the city.

Potential measures include directing stormwater from roads into planted areas, where it can support healthier trees and help reduce damage to kerbs and footpaths.

Rewilding the Park Lands

The package includes practical projects to protect threatened species and bring more native wildlife into the heart of Adelaide.

This includes:

$200,000 to improve butterfly habitat by planting the specific food plants needed by species including the satin azure, golden-haired sedge skipper and chequered copper
$90,000 for cooling infrastructure at the grey-headed flying-fox camp in Botanic Park
new planting and habitat restoration to strengthen connections between natural areas.

The cooling infrastructure will help protect the nationally threatened grey-headed flying-fox during extreme heat and make the colony more resilient as the climate warms.

Get project updates: Sign up for the DEW Newsletter to receive news about projects, opportunities to participate and progress across the Adelaide Park Lands.

Questions and answers

What is the Adelaide Park Lands Nature Positive Package?

The Adelaide Park Lands Nature Positive Package is a $15 million State Government investment to make the Park Lands greener, cooler and more biodiverse.

The package will restore habitat, strengthen biodiversity and support the long-term conservation of native plants, animals and ecosystems.

It includes four areas of investment:

greening the city
activating the community
revitalising the River Torrens/Karrawirra Pari and its creeks
rewilding the Park Lands.

Why is the package being delivered?

The package will improve the Adelaide Park Lands for people and nature.

It will increase tree canopy and native vegetation, restore habitat, improve waterways and support native plants and animals. It will also give community groups, volunteers and conservation organisations more opportunities to take part in restoring nature.

The package accompanies the Adelaide Circuit Redevelopment Project and supports the State Government’s commitment to leave the Park Lands better off overall.

How does the package relate to the Adelaide Circuit Redevelopment and MotoGP?

The $15 million nature positive package accompanies the Adelaide Circuit Redevelopment Project. It will deliver greening, rewilding and revitalisation projects across the Adelaide Park Lands.

The circuit redevelopment is a separate project.

The South Australian Government developed the nature positive package in collaboration with the Conservation Council of South Australia. The package will restore habitat and strengthen biodiversity across the Park Lands.

Which species will be planted?

These are the wide range of species identified as suitable for replanting across priority projects in the Park Lands.

Species will be selected to suit each location, with different planting mixes used in waterways and wetland areas compared with the broader Park Lands.

This planting list will be regularly updated as restoration plans are developed for additional sites and revegetation efforts progress.

Drooping sheoak
Grey box
Mallee box
Native apricot
Peppermint box
River red-gum
Slender cypress-pine
South Australian blue gum

Coast saw-sedge
Dryland tea-tree
Elegant wattle
Swamp wattle
Tea-tree mistletoe
Wire-leaf mistletoe
Wirilda

Australian dusty miller
Australian hollyhock
Beautiful rush
Broom rush
Chaffy saw-sedge
Christmas bush
Climbing lignum
Coast fan-flower
Coast saw-sedge
Coastal climbing lignum
Cross-leaf honey-myrtle
Curly pondweed
Derwent speedwell
Drooping sheoak
Dryland tea-tree
Dune wattle
Fen sedge
Finger rush
Flecked flat-sedge
Fragrant saltbush
Golden-tip
Heath grevillea
Heath tea-tree
Hop goodenia
Hop-bush wattle
Inland pomaderris
Leafy twig-rush
Marsh club-sedge
Mountain sedge
Native lilac
Native raspberry
Nodding saltbush
Notched sedge
Old man's beard
Pale rush
Pointed mat-rush
Prickly Moses
Prickly tea-tree
Purple loosestrife
Red-fruit saw-sedge
River bottlebrush
River club-rush
River eel grass
Rock logania
Ruby saltbush
Rush sedge
Salt club-sedge
Scarlet bottlebrush
Sea rush
Sharp-leaf club-rush
Shore club-rush
Silky tea-tree
Silver banksia
Silver daisy-bush
Slender cypress-pine
Small-fruit fan-flower
Spiny flat-sedge
Sticky boobialla
Sticky daisy-bush
Stiff flat-sedge
Swamp honey-myrtle
Swamp paperbark
Swamp sword-sedge
Swamp wattle
Sweet apple-berry
Sweet swamp-grass
Tall flat-sedge
Tall mintbush
Tall sword-sedge
Tangled lignum
Tassel sedge
Thorny saltbush
Turnbull's smooth correa
Tussock sedge
Twiggy daisy-bush
Varnish wattle
Wallowa
White-stemmed smooth correa
Willow wattle
Wirilda
Yellow rush

How many trees will be removed and how many will be planted?

The Adelaide Circuit Redevelopment Project is expected to require the removal of 377 trees. Of these, 42 are classified as significant trees. Most of the other trees to be removed are unregulated, invasive species, dead or in poor health.

A further 88 trees will be transplanted to nearby locations. Another 22 trees need more detailed investigation to confirm whether they can be retained.

There are 8,895 trees in the circuit precinct. About 95% will remain untouched by the project.

Every tree removed will be replaced at a ratio of 10 to one. This will deliver a net increase of at least 3,393 trees across the Adelaide Park Lands. More than 123,000 understorey plantings will also be delivered.

How can planting new trees compensate for the loss of mature trees?

The circuit has been designed to minimise the loss of significant native trees and protect existing biodiversity, habitat and ecosystems.

Planting will include a diverse mix of trees, shrubs and understorey vegetation. It will focus on native tree species that can grow large, shade-providing canopies. Locations will be selected to reduce urban heat, improve amenity and provide habitat for native wildlife.

What does nature positive mean for this project?

For this project, nature positive means improving the overall environmental condition of the Adelaide Park Lands.

The package will:

increase tree canopy and understorey
restore and connect habitat
strengthen biodiversity and ecological functions
improve water quality and river health
support rare, threatened and culturally significant plants
improve habitat for native wildlife
create long-term conservation outcomes.

The package will work alongside the circuit project’s tree and vegetation commitments to leave the Adelaide Park Lands better off overall.

Where will the $15 million be spent?

The $15 million package will support four connected areas of work across the Adelaide Park Lands:

Greening the city: increasing tree canopy and native understorey, supporting community planting and returning rare and threatened plants.
Activating the community: expanding environmental grants, improving the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre and supporting the South Australian Climate and Nature Fund.
Revitalising the River Torrens/Karrawirra Pari and its creeks: improving waterways, riverbank habitat, water quality and stormwater management.
Rewilding the Park Lands: improving butterfly habitat and providing cooling infrastructure for the grey-headed flying-fox camp in Botanic Park.

These investments will help create more shade, healthier waterways and stronger habitat, while giving the community more opportunities to take part in restoring nature.

Where will the new trees and habitat be located?

New trees, understorey and habitat improvements will be delivered across the Adelaide Park Lands.

Planting associated with the circuit redevelopment will focus on locations that reduce urban heat, improve amenity and provide habitat for native wildlife. The State Government will work with the City of Adelaide and environmental stakeholders to identify planting opportunities while balancing biodiversity and community use. The proposed circuit design and tree and vegetation planting focus areas are available on the Adelaide Circuit Redevelopment Project website.

Locations for individual projects within the $15 million package will be provided as plans are confirmed.

Who will look after the trees and make sure the projects succeed?

Delivery, maintenance and monitoring arrangements will vary between projects.

The State Government will work with the City of Adelaide and environmental stakeholders to maximise planting opportunities across the Adelaide Park Lands.

Specialists in ecology, environment, heritage and landscape architecture have contributed to the circuit design. Specialist arborists will also provide advice on measures to protect retained trees and vegetation during construction.

How can I see what is being delivered?

You can read an overview of the investment in the Adelaide Park Lands Nature Positive Package booklet.

You can also view information about the proposed circuit design and tree and vegetation planting focus areas on the Adelaide Circuit Redevelopment Project website.