a biodiversity strategy for pmhc lga. policy background key natural environment strategy: to...
TRANSCRIPT
A Biodiversity Strategy for PMHC LGA
Policy background
Key Natural Environment Strategy:To maintain and improve existing environmental values in the Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA.
Focus area 4 - We understand and manage the impact that the community has on the natural environment. We protect the environment now and in the future.
Action 4.7.1.2Prepare a draft biodiversity strategy to determine environmental priorities for conservation and restoration.
• Increased knowledge for PMHC for strategic planning
• Maximise development AND conservation of assets
• PMHC in good stead for new Biodiversity Cons. Act.
• Funding opportunities (rural landholders and Council)
• Solves current problems for development industry:– Increased certainty and provision of offsite offsets.
Why Have a Biodiversity Strategy?
A Biologically Rich Area
The Great Balancing Act
Current Situation
1
•Land purchased for development
2
•Specialists engaged; plans created
3
•Environmental consultant engaged
4
•Biological values of land assessed...
Possible Outcomes of Assessments
Land has low biological value= the development proceeds
Possible Outcomes of Assessments
Land has moderate biological value= the development proceeds if the impact can be “offset”.
On-site offsets currently used regularly.
Expensive, ineffective, sometimes impossible....
On-site offset requires trees to be planted...
Poor outcomes....
Many Benefits of Off-site Offsets
• Less ‘squeezing in’ to accommodate conflicting goals
• Less expense to developers to ‘juggle outcomes’
• Less risk to developers of losing lots for trees;
• Benefits to private landholders= funding for works;
• Better, more certain outcomes for biodiversity
Possible Outcomes of Assessments
Land has high biological value= the development meets time and expense and may not even be able to go ahead.
I wish I would have known this earlier!!!!
Current Situation: Data Poor Environment
• Northern Rivers Regional Biodiversity Management Plan looks at some priority areas and corridors
Too broad for planning
Built using coarse data
Errors at Fine Scales
A New Way Forward....
• “Biological prioritisation” software (e.g. Zonation) can simultaneously assess the value of areas (50 m grids) across an LGA for hundreds of species.
• Shows which areas are important for biodiversity conservation and which areas are not so important.
• The ranking is based not just on how many species live there, but species uniqueness is considered.
• System developed by universities. Used worldwide.
Maps produced to aid strategic planning
• Already been applied by Councils at the regional level and individual Council level.
High Conservation
Upper HunterLow Conservation
Landscape Connectivity
• Important for wildlife: breeding, feeding, refuge.
• Important for community: recreation/ tourism.
• Powerful software (GapClosR) available to identify key corridors and breaks in corridors.
Outcomes
• Relative biological values known across LGA;
• Knowledge before development process starts;
• Knowledge available to enable off site offsets.
• Knowledge for landholders seeking funding.
• Enables PMHC to access funding (as per Tweed).
An Example of Funding
• Tweed Shire and Byron Shire Councils have gained $2.1 million from the Federal Government for their Koala Connections project. $1.5 m in in-kind support.
• The project also won the 2014 NSW Natural Environment Sustainability Award
The New Biodiversity Conservation Act
• State/Federal Environmental Legislation under review
• The Biodiversity Conservation Act review suggests:
– Moves towards prioritisation modelling;
– Greater role ($$) for private conservation;
– Moves towards offsite offsets.
Greater Emphasis on Threatened Species
• Universal acceptance/ importance of protection.
• Recovery Plans for all threatened species in NSW;
• Funding directed to Saving Our Species Program;
• Biodiversity Strategy = help to access this funding.
The Biodiversity Strategy will NOT:
• Make definitive decisions on development:– Due processes still need to be followed;– But more information available up front.
• Rezone areas for environmental protection;
• Force decisions on private landholders;
• Affect existing arrangements (Area 13, 14, 15).
PMHC Well-Placed to Commence
• Excellent data sets available:– Vegetation mapping for LGA (BioLink, 2013);
– Koala Habitat Mapping for LGA (BioLink, 2013);
– BioNet, BirdLife Australia, Other Data
•Strategic Links:– University of Melbourne;– Lake Macquarie City Council;– Office of Environment and Heritage.
Summary
• Responds to customer demands:– Developers requests for certainty and offsets;
– Rural landholder requests for better access to $;
– Internal PMHC need for offsets (e.g. Airport);
Why Have a Biodiversity Strategy?
• Will put PMHC in good position for forthcoming Biodiversity Conservation legislation.
• Increased knowledge for PMHC for strategic planning
Summary
Why Have a Biodiversity Strategy?
The Biodiversity Strategy will:
• Identify the biological assets of the PMHC LGA;
• Identify the threats to these assets;
• Identify actions to protect assets/ minimise threats;
• Back zone land for environmental protection.
Summary
The Biodiversity Strategy will NOT:
Rough Steps (also see Project Plan)
1
•Form Reference Group inc. Councillors, scientists, local stakeholders (development and biodiversity)
2
•Work with Reference Group to develop project scope and methodology; community briefings
3
•Commence modelling in accordance with above;
4
•Draft models (maps) examined/discussed by Council and then Reference Group
5
•Models (maps) refined and rediscussed by Council and then Reference Group;
6
•Acceptance of maps by Council;
7
•Write draft Biodiversity Strategy, Council reviews, community reviews, write final Biodiversity Strategy;
8
•Present to community (urban and rural customers); rural landholder information nights etc.
Thank you for your time
• Biodiversity is important for the culture, economy, ecological health and identity of an area.
• Not all areas of the LGA are equal for biodiversity.
• A Biodiversity Strategy greatly aids strategic planning.
Conclusion
Future Meeting and Workshop Themes
Expert Panel
• Provide local expert knowledge• Critic methodology and modelling outputs• Includes State Agencies (Forest Corp, NPWS, Dept.
Lands, Office of Environment and Heritage)• Panel of 8 and Council Staff.