MICK Van de Vreede hopes maintaining Knox's 'leafy image' will continue to be a priority for new and returning councillors.
The retiring councillor was a president of the Knox Environment Society and always vocal about environmental issues during his time on the council.
He remains passionate about the council buying land at Wantirna's Bateman Street Bush, now owned by VicRoads. "It is probably one of the richest reserves in flora diversity in Knox, if not the richest," he said.
The land would be given the "ultimate protection" if owned by the council.
Cr Van de Vreede also expressed concern about the time the council is taking to replace more than a missing quarter of street trees.
"It's going to be 30 or 40 years before they're all replaced and for a municipality that prides itself on its leafy image, it's very poor."