The spotted gum is Eurobodalla's favourite plant, according to the 204 respondents of an online survey earlier this year, with kangaroos, black cockatoos, burrawangs, echidna, glossy black cockatoos, white-bellied sea-eagles, yellow-bellied gliders, gang gangs and greater gliders making the top ten.
Eurobodalla Council's environmental planner Stacey Clohesy said the survey was part of preparations to gauge community interest and understanding around biodiversity.
"Biodiversity is the variety of life, with three levels commonly recognised," Ms Clohesy said.
"These include the variety in the genetic information of individuals within a population, the number of different species at a given location, and the variety of different habitats within a region.
"At any of these levels, high biodiversity is considered a good thing because it indicates more resilience to changing conditions. That's why we need to protect and enhance biodiversity."
The survey results – along with community workshops, information stalls, and stakeholder meetings – have given rise to key areas that could provide structure for a draft biodiversity strategy for Eurobodalla. Ms Clohesy said Council would run a series of community drop-in sessions to prioritise these areas.
"These key areas include valuing and protecting biodiversity, enhancing and restoring biodiversity on both public and private land, enabling Yuin People to care for country, and engaging and connecting the community to biodiversity principles and actions," she said.
"These lead to practical actions. For example, establishing wildlife corridors or pursuing opportunities for Indigenous land management. The community's priorities for different actions will form the backbone of a draft Biodiversity Strategy that will be presented to the community early next year."
Community drop-in sessions will run at
- Batemans Bay Rotary market, Corrigans Beach Reserve Batehaven, on Sunday 16 October, 9am-1pm
- Narooma Rotary Markets, NATA Oval Narooma, on Sunday 23 October, 9am-1pm.
- The Bas, Cnr Vulcan and Campbell Streets Moruya, on Wednesday 26 October, 4-6pm
- Moruya Country Markets, Riverside Park Moruya, on Sunday 29 October, 8am-12.30pm.
