The ACT Government and Conservation Council ACT Region today hosted the inaugural ACT Biodiversity Conservation Forum to strengthen conservation planning and outcomes in the region.
Minister for the Environment Rebecca Vassarotti joined the first bi-monthly forum which brought together government, local environment and landcare organisations to improve the response to the challenges our environment faces.
"This forum is designed to create a strong community of practice to bring together expertise from within the local conservation community," Minister Vassarotti said.
"It also presents a fantastic opportunity for government and community groups to work together on current and emerging issues relating to the conservation of biodiversity, environmental planning and policy in the ACT.
"The forum will consider topics including climate adaptation, landscape and ecosystem management, threatened species management, urban biodiversity and invasive species, to name just some of the areas for potential collaboration."
The forum has been joined by representatives from a wealth of local environmental organisations, including:
- Conservation Council ACT Region
- Friends of Grasslands
- Canberra Ornithology Group
- National Parks Association
- Landcare ACT
- Ginninderra Catchment Group ACT
- Southern ACT Catchment Group
- Molonglo Conservation Group
- Australian Native Plants Society
- ACT for Bees
- Invasive Species Council
- ACT Bushfire Council
- ACT Scientific Committee
- Woodlands and Wetlands Trust
This forum follows the ACT Government's recent 2021-22 Budget announcement which included more than $10 million funding for environmental offsets, biodiversity and biosecurity.
"We are already seeing the impact of climate change on our region, and it is creating favourable conditions for invasive species and accelerating biosecurity threats, which is why we are providing more funding to prevent early incursions and eradicate invasive animals and weeds," Minister Vassarotti said.
"The work of this group will further strengthen the government's efforts to protect our natural environment into the future and I look forward to seeing the positive outcomes achieved by their collaborative effort."
As stated by Helen Oakey, Executive Director, Conservation Council ACT Region:
"Like the Government, the ACT environment community has a high level of expertise and on-ground experience that can feed into policy, and practical solutions, to deliver better outcomes for biodiversity. We are very pleased that this forum will provide a regular and ongoing opportunity for community and government to hear different perspectives on the many interconnected challenges that face our region, such as the impacts of climate change on habitats, and the threats to biodiversity such as invasive plants and animals, and urban development."
As stated by Ian Walker, ACT Conservator Flora and Fauna:
"The Biodiversity Conservation Forum is all about the community, experts and government co-designing solutions to conserve and enhance biodiversity at a local, national and international scale. The ACT is uniquely placed to be an exemplar in providing nature-based solutions. Nature plays a vital role in the health and wellbeing of all Canberrans, we need to look after nature to reap those benefits."
