Biodiversity Strategy

Project: Identify objectives and actions to better integrate biodiversity with planning, development and natural area management in the Eurobodalla Shire.

Timeframe: expected completion late 2022

Funding: The Australian Government is helping deliver this project through a grant under the Building Better Regions Fund that matches Council’s funding commitment.

Last updated: May 2022

Latest news

May 2022: We asked community members to share their thoughts via a survey and workshops. Now we're collating the feedback to help us with the next stage of drafting the Biodiversity Strategy.

Details

Eurobodalla's residents and visitors value nature, it's one of the main reasons people live or holiday here. Nature is also known as biodiversity.

Biodiversity is the variety and diversity of all living things. It is part of us, our lifestyles and connection to place and is important to humans for many reasons:

  • economic
  • ecological life support
  • recreational
  • cultural
  • scientific
  • intrinsic value, that is, each species has a right to exist regardless of its value to humans.

The shire’s population is forecast to increase to over 45,000 by 2036, with thousands of additional homes needed. Meanwhile, Eurobodalla has more than 200 plants, animals and ecological communities listed as threatened.

A biodiversity strategy will help address these challenges and ensure our plants and animals also have a home as the human population grows by identifying ways Council, our community and other stakeholders can facilitate ecologically sustainable development and enhance biodiversity connectivity, integrity and resilience in Eurobodalla.

Community and stakeholder engagement

There are opportunities for the community to have input into the development of the Biodiversity Strategy.

You can sign up for email updates if you would like to be kept updated through the different phases.

Early 2022: tell us what you value and why

We wanted to hear from community members before we started drafting a Biodiversity Strategy. We hosted an online survey and three community workshops where we asked about:

  • what parts of the natural landscape are important to you and why?
  • do you see opportunities for habitat restoration within urban areas?
  • should there be opportunities for local landholders to set aside areas of their property to offset residential development, generating an income stream?

We are also meeting with agencies, Aboriginal community knowledge holders and other stakeholders to gather information and ideas to inform the draft Biodiversity Strategy.

Mid 2022: emerging actions

We will share the ideas we have heard from the community and the actions we're proposing as a result of that feedback. We'll arrange opportunities for the community to meet and discuss these emerging actions with us.

Late 2022: Public exhibition

We will place a draft Biodiversity Strategy on public exhibition late 2022 to seek submissions. All submissions will be considered before Council decide whether to adopt the draft Biodiversity Strategy as exhibited.

More information

For more information or register for updates about the Biodiversity Strategy, please contact Council’s Environmental Planner Stacey Clohesy on: