1. Foreword

Human impact on the natural environment is having detrimental effects worldwide, with the decline of plants, animals and even insects at unprecedented levels. The Clarence Valley local government area remains a stronghold for a diverse range of plants and animals and with targeted programs, Council is working towards halting this trend of biodiversity decline.

The 2020 Biodiversity Strategy will help guide Council's actions to protect and enhance biodiversity - now and into the future.

What is biodiversity? Biodiversity is the variety of all life forms — the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, the genes they contain, and the ecosystems they form. Biodiversity is usually considered at three levels: genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity.