Ruby is going out on a limb to increase city canopy
Ruby Wilson has always loved trees. Affectionately known as the “tree lady” she’s leading the City of Hobart’s ambitious goal to increase the tree canopy cover from 16 per cent to 40 per cent by 2046.
“Some of my best memories from when I was young was sitting in the old oak trees at my grandparents’ farm – having Christmas lunch in their branches with my sister while the rest of the family ate in the shade beneath the tree,” she says.
“We also had a tree in our front yard that I used to climb whenever I wanted to get away.”
She was married under an old walnut tree and fondly remembers the oak tree at primary school where she collected acorns and drew faces on them.
As the council’s program leader of arboriculture and nursery she manages the city’s street and park trees as well as a nursery team.
Ruby graduated from Melbourne University with a Bachelor of Science with honours majoring in plant science, before doing a Master of Urban Horticulture at the university’s Burnley School.
“While I was there I became fascinated with the links between urban trees and human health and wellbeing and decided to pursue a career in urban tree management.
“I worked in a number of councils in Melbourne managing urban trees and developing strategic plans for urban greening before my partner and I decided we wanted a change from Melbourne and moved down to Tassie. I was drawn to Hobart for the same reason that many people are – the feeling that there is something very special about this place.”
Arboriculture has been traditionally very male dominated and with a critical national shortage, she says “the more women that enter the industry the better”.
Ruby says trees are an important part of liveable and resilient cities and will become even more so as the climate becomes hotter.
“Unfortunately our cities will get much hotter in the future – both from climate change but also because of a phenomenon called the ‘urban heat island effect’ where urban areas are hotter than their surrounding areas because the materials that make up our city (asphalt and concrete) absorb and retain heat.
Ruby understands some trees cause problems. “It can be easy to recognise some of the negative aspects about trees – leaves dropping, or blocking a view but sometime we find that people don’t realise how important a tree is to the local environment until it is gone – and it can take decades to grow a tree that provides the same level of benefits.
“If you are thinking of planting a tree on your property (and I hope you are!) then it is really worthwhile doing some research and speaking with your local nursery about the site and what might be appropriate there.
“Planting a tree is one of the most generous things that we can do for future generations.”