The City within a National Park is a joke on so many levels, especially when one considers the aversion that we seem to have developed to native vegetation, even in council public spaces we see more exotics than indigenous species. When these plants escape into surrounding bush land as in the case of Agapanthus species for instance they smother the soil so that no native species can germinate, no native animals eat them & I don't think that even insects favour them, perhaps this is why they proliferate so freely in the mountains. It seems possible that the Blue Mountains may finally be blue because of Jacaranda & Agapanthus hope I don't live to see this sterile environment! We have many local species aside from eucalypts which are not suitable for public planting because they shed leaves bark & alarmingly branches! How about some small to medium sized plants such as:- (used sensibly of couse in a suitable environment) Banksia sp. Watatah sp. Lambertia sp. (Mountain Devil) Eriostemon sp. Persoonia sp. (Geebung) Hakea sp. Ceratopetalum sp. (Christmas Bush) Elaeocarpus sp. (Blueberry Ash) Tristania sp. Allocasuarina This is with my limited knowledge & I'm sure with imagination & a properly trained horticulturalist the list would be diverse enough to provide suitable plantings anywhere in the mountains.

Selecting the right tree for a given location is an exacting task and one which we often get wrong even in our own gardens. It is more important in the public arena. At the Blaxland shopping centre the trees were chosen to meet a set of criteria but failed in appropriateness for the location. Good for a coastal region but not for the mountains. In Springwood the street gardens look great but not at the expense of street parking. In Railway Pde Warrimoo the trees make the road too narrow and should be of a more dense foliage style and planted on the SRA land as a sound protection barrier. Where possible native vegetation is to be preferred to exotic but the effect on other aspects of the environment and infrastructure must be given priority

I am concerned that the many types of trees mentioned all probably look good but are not productive. I noticed in countries such as Spain and Italy that citrus trees are frequently used as street trees. They look superb, don't grow too big, the perfume is delightful and the fruit is available for all residents. I would really like to see useful fruit trees including citrus used as plantings in residential streets. Communal lemon, orange and mandarin trees would look lovely, add colour, are evergreen and useful. Soft fruits are not suitable because of the fruit fly problems in NSW but almonds could also be planted with sufficient different types to allow for cross pollination. A few inner city councils are allowing and even encouraging reidents to turn nature strips into communal gardens of herbs and vegetables. How pleasant that could be here and it could provide a sensible alternative to water hungry lawns.

We do not need more native, fire prone, eucalypts. Frankly they lack the beauty of the deciduous trees and add very little to the beauty of Spring and Autumn. We have the National Park around us, let them stay there!

This is our chance of using all the talented permaculture people and their knowledge in our towns. Lets use food forest where ever possible. In a few years time we can go out side with the kids and pick fruit and nuts. This will go to improving our sustainability. We need to use this opportunity to our advantage. Dont forget how food will continue to go up in price. By no means will a street full of fruit and nut trees solve all our problems but it would still help. I for one am not concerned by not using natives. A good mixture will be beneficial. I am excited!