Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on Council's draft Biodiversity Strategy 2024-2034.
Council received feedback from 112 participants via a range of engagement activities, including a survey, virtual workshops, drop-in sessions and email. This feedback will inform refinement of the draft strategy.
At the 14 May Planning and Consultative Committee (PCC) meeting, councillors heard from 21 submitters who had elected to speak to their submissions on the draft strategy.
What came through strongly from submitters at the PCC was their deep love for the environment and a recognition that what we have here in Nillumbik is unique and important to protect.
Nillumbik Shire Council Mayor Ben Ramcharan said the community engagement undertaken for the draft Biodiversity Strategy highlighted how passionate and dedicated Nillumbik community members were about protecting Nillumbik's biodiversity.
"I would like to thank everyone who contributed feedback to our draft Biodiversity Strategy, including the submitters who shared with us all of the wonderful things they are actively doing to make a difference to biodiversity in the shire," Cr Ramcharan said.
"Biodiversity is about so much more than trees and the land," he said. "It's the waterways, the microbes, the animals, big and small, and vegetation that is alive or left for habitat to support biodiversity.
"There is so much we need to protect, and we need to take proactive action now to enable us to do that.
"We heard from community that there were some gaps in the strategy that need to be addressed, and we will be working over the next few weeks to consider this feedback in preparation of the final version of the strategy."
The draft Biodiversity Strategy 2024-2034 Community Engagement report is now available to read on Participate Nillumbik.
A final version of the Biodiversity Strategy 2024-2034 will be presented to Council to consider for adoption at the July 2024 Council Meeting.
