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City of Canning to discuss draft biodiversity strategy to boost native vegetation

Jaime ShurmerCanning Gazette

THE Canning council will tonight discuss a draft strategy including $400,000 per year for 20 years for replanting and incentives for developers to keep native plants.

The council is expected discuss the draft Local Biodiversity Strategy and, if endorsed, put it out for public comment.

The City wants to increase the amount of remnant vegetation left in the City of Canning from the existing 6 per cent to a total of 10 per cent through replanting – at a cost of $400,000 per annum for the next 20 years.

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Less than 7 per cent of the area’s original vegetation remains in the City and it is regionally significant given its rarity.

Less than 1 per cent however is formally protected as a conservation reserve and natural areas are at risk of becoming more fragmented and isolated.

The strategy includes the prospect of an incentive package to encourage vegetation retention and increased use of local plants in landscaping by developers and private landholders.

Canning River Residents’ Environment Protection Association (CRREPA) president Stephen Johnston said there needs to be urgent recognition by the community and council that the remaining native vegetation is precious and needs adequate long-term protection.

“In this context, the Strategy’s proposed 250ha increase of native vegetation over 20 years is welcome but the assumed loss of 37 more hectares of existing vegetation for development can hopefully be minimised,” Mr Johnston said.

CRREPA intends to look closely at the proposed development of a Strategic Local Reserve Management Plan and its potential impact on the new Shelley Rossmoyne Foreshore management plan.

“While CRREPA has and will continue to make a major contribution to the protection and extension of native vegetation along the Shelley-Rossmoyne foreshore, the Association also has a primary concern with the longer-term plans for the foreshore and how they are implemented,” he said.

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