Story: Kings Park
Episode: 18
Presenter: Sue McDougall
Air Date: 18 December 2021

Sue shows us the amazing Botanical Gardens at Kings Park and why she has decided to call it home.

• Kings Park is home to the Western Australian Botanic Garden, where over three thousand species of WA’s unique flora are on display and rated one of the best in the world.
• The Botanic Garden area covers 18 hectares and is a snapshot of the incredible diversity of West Australian plants.
• The whole park reserve is 400 hectares and managed by a passionate team of scientists, horticulturists, conservation specialists, volunteers, and arborists.
• The benefit of maintaining trees far outweighs the perceived inconvenience.
• “Stop the lop!” is a catch cry of the Arbor team at Kings Park. This team is charged with managing the risk and health of all the trees across two sites totalling over 800 hectares.
• Sue McDougall now leads the horticulture and living collections team, she has taken the role of Director of the Western Australian Botanic Garden and sees firsthand the quality care every single tree gets from the Arbor team.
• Investing in specialist tree care is crucial, Arboriculturists know what they are doing, and lopping is not an option.
• Lopping is an outdated practice that causes more harm than good and is detrimental to the long-term structural stability of the tree, there are many alternatives to lopping.
• Good pruning stimulates wound sealing and stops resprouting in the wrong places. Three-point cuts are a crucial pruning practice.
• A dead tree doesn’t necessarily mean the tree is unsafe, it’s a crucial habitat space and should be retained. Qualified arborists can provide homeowners with an informed way to retain trees.