Biodiversity Strategy: Maldhangilanha gets green light

Published: 04 Sep 2020 10:49am

Wagga Wagga City Council recently adopted its Biodiversity Strategy: Maldhangilanha – a significant step forward in Council’s efforts to preserve, protect and enhance the region’s biodiversity.

The strategy aims to increase community awareness of biodiversity and its importance, and identifies actions we can all take to protect and enhance local biodiversity.

Environmental Officer Samantha Pascall, who worked for months on the strategy, was thrilled to see it endorsed at the recent Council meeting.

“It’s an ambitious strategy, but we’re ready for the challenge,” Ms Pascall said.

“Our strategy focuses on what we can do to halt the decline of biodiversity in our region, and how we can work together as a community for a healthier and sustainable future.

“While Council is happy to lead the way, we need the community’s support. Protecting biodiversity is everyone’s responsibility – from all levels of government to every community member – because it supports the healthy functioning of the environment we all depend upon for water, food, health and recreation.”

The Biodiversity Strategy: Maldhangilanha is a 10-year document outlining the legislative framework associated with biodiversity conservation, internal and external policy context, key threatening processes, and threatened species within the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area.

The strategy identifies several stakeholders other than Council, including government and non-government agencies, that prioritise biodiversity conservation and natural resource management.

Following an extensive consultation process, feedback for the draft strategy identified several themes which were divided into four focus areas, with strategic objectives and underlying actions:

• Planning for Biodiversity
• Strengthening our Natural Assets
• Managing Biosecurity
• Educating and Collaborating.

“The community and other partner feedback has been amazing,” Ms Pascall said.

“This strategy is for our community, so it was great to get information on what people wanted.

“It’s fantastic to see everyone engaged. I think we’re on the cusp where biodiversity and our relationship with nature is becoming more mainstream.”

Although the official consultation period has ended, Ms Pascall is encouraging the community to stay in touch.

“It’s in all of our best interests to keep this conversation going. The Biodiversity Strategy: Maldhangilanha is a living document and we want to keep working with the community to secure a better future for our region.”

You can get in touch with Council by calling 1300 292 442 or emailing council@wagga.nsw.gov.au

Next week: discover what you can do in your own backyard to help improve our region’s biodiversity.