The Regional Natural Environment Strategy is a collaborative project arising from the Two Cities One Community initiative. It has been prepared by Albury and Wodonga councils and is being presented for community feedback.
The project is about plants and animals and the places they live, like reserves, waterways and wetlands. It’s about everything from insects to birds, fungi to trees and rocks to rivers. This might mean bushland areas but the environment also exists in your local parks and gardens and in your own backyard.
It is also about the things that might present a threat to the environment, like weeds and pests, or a changing climate (to name a few).
Natural areas provide ecosystem services, such as trees, that help to regulate temperatures and insects that pollinate food crops. These services are vital for human health and wellbeing. The local natural environment also supports plants and animals that are at risk of extinction, like the squirrel glider or spider orchid. It is also important as a source of recreational opportunities and provides a strong cultural connection to place.
So it is important to recognise the local natural environment and have a plan to ensure it remains healthy.
The strategy and accompanying action plan aims to recognise and protect the local natural environment and the things the community values most about it.
The strategy will influence how each council manages land – like parks and reserves - how each council uses policy and planning controls to protect and improve the environment and how we work with the community to address the issues they care about.
The work has been informed by a detailed technical report.