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Perth Biodiversity Project. What is the Perth Biodiversity Project. A Local Government Initiative that aims to build the capacity of Local Government to conserve biodiversity. Project Partners. Key Responsibilities. Land Manager (reserves, freehold land, road sides) 7,800ha in PMR
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What is the Perth Biodiversity Project • A Local Government Initiative that aims to build the capacity of Local Government to conserve biodiversity
Key Responsibilities • Land Manager (reserves, freehold land, road sides) • 7,800ha in PMR • 3,400ha in BF sites • Decision Maker within land use planning process (Development applications, subdivision, rezoning) • 75,000ha in PMR • 27,000ha on SCP
2001 • 50% native vegetation left in PMR • (266, 000 ha) • 36% protected • (191, 000 ha) • 14% unprotected LNA • (75, 000 ha) • 77% private land • 12% zoned intensive development
PBP relationship to Bush Forever • Regional significance (State) • Local significance (Local Government) • Draft Bushland Policy for the PMR SPP 2.8 • Section 5.3 ‘LG should seek to prepare a local bushland protection strategy’ • Resourcing • Extension of information (mapping and reference site information)
Key Components of PBP • Local Biodiversity Planning • Targeted Grants • GIS and Mapping • Support for ecological assessment and management of natural areas • Perth Region Plant Biodiversity Project • Bird Survey Project
Local Government Biodiversity Planning Guidelines • Released June 2004 • Guides development of LBS that provides a process for identification of locally significant natural areas • Wide endorsement • 3 Local Governments preparing LBS
Local Biodiversity Planning 1 Council commitment to process 2 Broad consideration of social,economic and environmental opportunities/ constraints Target-setting Action plan to achieve targets 3 More specific consideration of opportunities/ constraints Local planning policy Private land incentives strategy Town planning scheme amendments Local reserves 4 Monitor and review
Local significance criteria – main categories • Regional representation of ecological communities • Local representation of ecological communities • Rarity • Maintaining ecological processes or natural systems • Protection of wetland, streamline and estuarine fringing vegetation and coastal vegetation
Local Biodiversity Targets How will the targets be used to identify what Locally Significant Natural Areas should be protected? LOCAL NATURAL AREAS Local Natural Area (LNA) Wetland Coastal/Riparian Ecological Linkage Rarity (Communities or species) 1st Filter LNA’s meet Criteria for Local Significance (ecological and social) LOCALLY SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AREAS (LSNA) LOCALLY SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AREAS TO BE PROTECTED
Ecological Assessment • Natural Area Initial Assessment templates
Perth Biodiversity Project • Began in 2001 • 30 Local Governments • South West Biodiversity Project • Began in 2005 • 13 Local Governments
How can you find out more? • Newsletter • website: http://www.councils.wa.gov.au/directory/walga/index.html/pbp/ • http://www.councils.wa.gov.au/directory/walga/index.html/sw_lg_bp
Key Issues • Assessment and endorsement of Local Biodiversity Strategies by State Government • Tools for implementing protection and management of Bush Forever Sites and Locally Significant Natural Areas • Flexible Public Open Space Policy • Framework for shared investment • State/LG acquisition of other regionally significant sites that are not BF sites • Private land conservation • Incentives • Provision of stewardship and biodiversity extension services • Ensuring compliance with conditions associated with BF Sites (eg illegal clearing) • Role of DPI/WAPC, DoE/EPA and LG