flora and fauna gets the go ahead

report from the roundtable - 27 mar
It was terrific to be able to move a motion at the last council meeting to endorse the Yarra Ranges Council Flora and Fauna Plan 2012.

The plan is based on the core ecological goals of Protect, Enhance and Restore. After being part of the steering committee for many years, reading and contributing to many iterations of this plan it's great to see it finalised and unanimously endorsed by council.

A long time in the making, originally endorsed for public comment in November, 2010, it caused much controversy when local media misreported the intent of strategy with outlandish claims that council was going to stop people planting roses.

Council received numerous submissions from the public, many of them misguided due to misunderstandings about the content of the strategy. Legitimate concerns were raised about bushfire safety, human safety, property rights, offsets and enforcement. On analysis of these submissions council decided to create a document that was much clearer, concise and easy to read.

The Plan is structured in two parts. The first part articulates the framework for decision making used by council and council's flora and fauna goals based on our ecological principles. This front end document is supported by a series of eight theme based action sheets that are purposely designed to meet community needs:




Broad scale habitat management
Habitat management on your property
Urban backyards
Waterways and wetlands as habitats
Fire
Threatened species and vegetation communities
Environmental weeds
Pest animals.

The plan does not introduce any new policy or regulation. It frames the guiding principles and goals that are currently used in council practice and is consistent with Council's Environment Strategy and other existing State and Federal government policy and legislation.

I'm proud to be able to put forward the Yarra Ranges Flora and Fauna Plan 2012 for endorsement.

flora and fauna strategy - more opportunity to comment

report from the roundtable - 22 feb

At this week's council meeting we voted unanimously to extend the timeline for the community to provide comments to our Flora and Fauna Strategy.
I was pleased to move the motion for the extension. There's no doubt that there's been significant media attention to the strategy, albeit inaccurate and misreporting the intent of the strategy.

As a consequence council has received a lot of submissions about "our new law that stops people planting roses", which is most unfortunate as council has not proposed a law to prevent the planting of roses, or veggie patches for that matter.

I hoped that the extension of time would enable the community to gain a true understanding of the strategy and put forward submissions that were relevant.

As a way to help the community understand the intent of the strategy council has produced a fact sheet or if you'd like more information you can call our Biodiversity and Conservation Officer on 1300 368 333 or you can download the entire strategy here.

Community members now have until the 4th April, 2011 to provide feedback.

samantha in the press - flora & fauna

No question, humans come first: councillor's reassurance
Yarra Ranges Weekly
15 Feb, 2011

samantha in the media - flora & fauna

Interview on the Flora & Fauna Strategy
3MTR
by Martin King
10 February 2011

flora and fauna strategy - the outlandish claims

Readers of this blog might have seen the newspaper article in this week's Mail Newspaper about the Shire's draft Flora and Fauna Strategy.

The article contained inaccurate and incorrect details about the draft strategy and completely misrepresents the intent of the strategy.

I love my roses as much as the next person, they've had a battering over the weekend so this isn't my best specimen, but it's the only one at the moment. To suggest the draft Flora and Fauna Strategy will make it law that you can't plant roses in your garden is one of the silliest claims I've ever heard.


I assure all our Rose Growers, you will have ongoing business in the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

One of the most outlandish claims is that the Shire won't allow people to plant roses, what absolute nonsense. No where in the draft does it talk about residents not being able to plant roses or other non indigenous plants on their properties.

There has also been misreporting that the strategy does not support fuel reduction burning, yet another piece of misinformation, the strategy does not recommend against fuel reduction burning in fire prone areas.

There is no conflict between the strategy and the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission recommendations. The strategy also aligns with State Government policy on native vegetation, the Native Vegetation Management Framework.

The Yarra Ranges is known nationally and internationally for its flora and fauna and this includes exotic species. Anyone travelling through the Dandenong Ranges will recognise the unique mix of exotic gardens amongst our indigenous Mountain Ash forests, you only have to look as far as the beautiful George Tindale, Pirianda or Nicholas gardens. The draft strategy is about protecting and enhancing our natural assets, both native and exotic. It's been developed to deal with the enhancement, survival and biodiversity of flora and fauna in the Shire.

The strategy is not about putting the environment ahead of public safety and Yarra Ranges has a raft of Emergency Management and Fire Prevention plans to ensure we do as much as possible to ensure public safety.

The most unfortunate thing about this article is that is confuses the community about the intent of the draft and seeks to derail important community consultation on the document.

I urge anyone who has questions to contact the shire's Biodiversity and Conservation Coordinator on 1300 368 333 and find our the real facts about the draft strategy. Don't believe the ridiculous nonsense in the paper, it's simply untrue and just a headline grab.

flora and fauna strategy - extension

Back in November 2010 I reported that the Shire's draft Flora and Fauna Strategy was out for comment. It's a difficult time to release documents for comment as it's the lead up to Christmas, it was for that reason that council put an extended period of consultation on the strategy.

A number of people have contacted the shire concerned about the short timelines so council will be extending the timeline for feedback (the formal vote will take place tomorrow night). If you'd like to comment you now have until 4th March to get your submissions in.

Some of you may have read comments in the local press that the strategy is "a balance between human life and flora and fauna". In my view protection and safety of human life is paramount, there is no question of balance.

flora and fauna strategy out for comment

report from the roundtable - 23 nov

This week's council meeting saw council endorse the release of the draft Flora and Fauna Management Strategy for an 8 week public comment period.

The strategy has been a long time in the making. It's an important document as it will provide guidance for the protection, management and enhancement of flora and fauna in the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

We're very fortunate in the shire, we have some areas of immense biodiversity with great natural assets and are custodians for a number of endangered species. It's important that we have a strategy that provides an outline of the broad ecological principles that underpin flora and fauna management in the shire and highlight the importance of healthy ecosystems in maintaining biodiversity.

It would be great to hear your views, for more information on how to submit click here.