• Aerial bundling of electricity wires in Shepherd Street, Darlington, Sydney, Australia
Aerial bundling of electricity wires is goodness in plain view.
Aerial bundling achieves and maintains natural tree canopy.
The what and how of aerial bundling - it:
Involves making a ’rope’ of several electricity wires so that the wires may contact tree branches and branches do not need pruning due to the greater strength and resilience of the wires;
Avoids tree canopy pruning and maintenance costs for the electricity service provider;
Enables trees to reach a natural canopy and to provide pollen, shelter and to cool streets by shading the road pavement and preventing urban heating.
Streets in Chippendale measure 20 to 25 degrees cooler where there are trees with natural canopy or pleaching of canopy.
In the 1980s and 1990s we in Chippendale worked with the local electricity distributor, Ausgrid, to halt their tree pruning and, instead, to bundle the electricity wires.
Now, in 2026, because the trees have achieved their natural canopy, and in many places their canopy pleaches, we enjoy cooler summers, less air pollution, bird song and insect diversity.
At ground level there is more biodiversity because the plants there grow better, because the former compacting of soil by tree pruners from Ausgrid is reduced and so rain tends to stay where it falls and be available to both ground level plants and trees.
• Notice the bundled wires safely touching mature tree branches
• Bundle, bundle, bundle - goodness in the trees
• Bundling in Shepherd Street, Darlington
Go the trees, and thank you Ausgrid.
By
Michael Mobbs