About Natural Environment and Biodiversity
What is biodiversity and why is it important? Biodiversity is the variety within and between all species of plants, animals and micro-organisams and the ecosystems within which they live and interact. Biodiversity is important as it plays a role in water and air quality, in climate, agricultural sustainability, amenity and recreation and in cultural heritage.
This theme will focus on priorities and actions that protect and enhance biodiversity values across the Shire. Council plays a partnering role in caring for our environment by supporting community groups and other land management agencies. Council provides a delivery role by controlling and managing planning policy, roadside vegetation and the provision of specific environmental programs.
The specific focus of this theme is to create an action plan that will work toward achieving:
- We have a legacy of land clearing and land uses that can benefit from environmentally friendly land management practices to restore native habitats and restore biodiversity. This can improve resilience of ecosystems to habitat fragmentation and climate change.
- Planning for future growth in a way that protects and enhances the natural environment is vital for thriving human health and wellbeing plus healthy waterways with diverse and resilient native flora and fauna.
- Working together to build environmental stewardship skills and awareness will support our environment both now and into the future.
- Increased Traditional Owner involvement in land management will support and rebuild traditional ecological knowledge for the benefit of us all as will increased support for volunteer environment group activities that establish environmentally friendly land management practices and restore native habitats.
- Having the tools and resources to prioritise action and make decisions will assist council to better manage threats to biodiversity and protect and enhance the Shire’s biodiversity values.
What projects (related to this theme) would you like to see introduced, repeated or expanded across the Shire? Feel free to direct us to good ideas from other councils and communities.
Actions that could contribute to this theme may include habitat protection, community education programs, and weed management projects.
