The environment State of the Environment Report 2016/17 – 2020/21
We are part of our environment, both natural and built. We need to ensure that as our city grows, we protect and enhance our environment. While we're happy to lead the way, we recognise that we can't do this alone. That's why we're working to bring our community with us on our journey towards true sustainability.
Biodiversity and vegetation Ngangaadha garraygu bila-galang-gu. Yandu garrybu bila-galangbu ngangaagirri nginyalgir. (Look after the land and the rivers. Then the land and the rivers will look after you.) Uncle James Ingram, Wiradjuri Elder
Biodiversity Strategy: Maldhangilanha 2020-2030 Council’s Biodiversity Strategy: Maldhangilanha 2020–2030 (the strategy) is a keystone document that aims to increase awareness and address a wide range of key threatening processes impacting our local biodiversity. The benefits gained from biodiversity are shared by everyone and so is the responsibility to address its serious decline. It is recognised that protecting biodiversity is the responsibility of all levels of government and the community. With this in mind, the Wiradjuri word Maldhangilanha meaning ‘working together’ best describes the strategy. The strategy identifies a number of partners, including government and non-government agencies, that have biodiversity conservation and natural resource management as a priority. Following an extensive consultation process a number of themes were identified. These themes informed the four strategic pillars of the strategy: • • • •
planning for biodiversity strengthening our natural assets managing biosecurity educating and collaborating.
The strategy has identified objectives and actions that will be delivered over the ten-year lifespan of the document by Council and its partners. The overarching target of the strategy is to increase the cover of native Box Gum woodland within the Local Government Area by 10 per cent (1,900ha) by 2030. Council, in collaboration with its identified partners, has completed or is in the process of completing 37 of the 69 actions within its first year. Some of these actions include: • training operational staff on the importance of retaining natural features, cultural heritage, and the requirements of environmental legislation • conducting urban canopy mapping to establish a tree cover target • implementing the green guidepost project to promote significant roadside vegetation • support community initiatives to enhance biodiversity through Council’s Annual Grants Program.
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WA G G A WA G G A C I T Y C O U N C I L
ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21
