Green thumbs can discover what native plants best suit their area thanks to an innovative new app from the NSW Government.
Trees Near Me NSW app has been designed to help everyone, including bush regenerators, farmers and citizen scientists to easily discover information on native plant communities, trees and plants around the state.
The newly released app draws on extensive vegetation classification and mapping available from the Bionet database developed over many years by the Department of Planning and Environment's (DPE) scientists.
DPE senior team leader vegetation and biodiversity mapping Bob Denholm said identifying the right plant communities for replanting and restoration was important for both wildlife and the environment.
"The Trees Near Me NSW app is free to download, easy to navigate and will take the guesswork out of choosing tree or plant species best suited to local areas," Mr Denholm said.
"Getting the right local mix of trees and plants helps get the right ecological mix for restoring landscapes and their biodiversity.
"The most common question people ask is 'what used to grow here?' and for the first time anywhere in NSW, the app can answer that for you.
"Once you know what plant communities are local to your area, you can easily search the list to find out which native plants to choose."
Mr Denholm said the app will encourage people interested in Landcare and planting natives to think about new possibilities for landscape restoration.
The app release comes as the work of groups and volunteers dedicated to conservation and sustainable land management activities is celebrated as part of the annual Landcare Week.
"More trees and shrubs mean more shade, more wildlife habitat, and more beautiful places to live. Trees are also an important for combating climate change as they also absorb carbon dioxide and store carbon," Mr Denholm said.
"There are many really wonderful native species to discover and this app will help people do that."
Trees Near Me NSW app is free to download from Google Play and Apple app store. It is also available as a website at treesnearme.app
