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Environment Sustainability Plan

Is quality of life in Bass Coast important to you?

By Bass Coast Shire Council - 16th November 2007 - Back to News

Do you believe we need to manage our environment to protect it for future generations?

Bass Coast Shire Council is asking the community to give input on its draft Environment Sustainability Plan.

The draft Plan outlines the major issues facing our natural environment. It then sets out a series of policy directions and tasks for protecting and sustaining the environment.

Council’s Environment Manager, Paul Smith, said a number of different sources were used to help identify the major issues.

"We looked at existing strategies and plans on a State, regional and local level, to see what they had identified as the key issues," Mr Smith explained.

"From this, we came up with the Top 10 issues most relevant to sustaining our natural environment in Bass Coast."

Mr Smith said the 10 issues outlined in the Plan are:

• Increasing biodiversity;
• Managing our beaches and bushland reserves;
• Having clean and productive agriculture;
• Managing climate change and resources efficiently;
• Minimising and recovery of waste;
• Managing pollution, litter and stormwater quality;
• Encouraging appropriate urban environment and land use;
• Raising awareness of the link between the economy and natural environment;
• Encouraging community involvement; and
• Ensuring there are appropriate Council procedures.

"It is becoming more and more evident that Bass Coast will continue to grow," said Mr Smith.

"That growth means an increase in building and more infrastructure, such as public facilities, roads, drains and footpaths.

"It also means a bigger resident population and larger visitor numbers. This will all have an impact on our environment, and the natural areas that we all treasure and appreciate," Mr Smith continued.

"We need to protect these areas and make sure they are here for future generations to enjoy."

Mr Smith said for Bass Coast residents, there was a direct link to the state of the natural environment and people’s feelings about their quality of life.

"Producing an Environment Sustainability Plan is a step towards ensuring that quality of life is maintained," said Mr Smith.

"This Plan shows that Council is listening to what the community is saying about protecting our environment.

"In order to maximise our efforts, the Plan focuses on services, actions and locations that Council can clearly influence by legislation, planning, management, funding or education/awareness raising," explained Mr Smith.

Mr Smith said it was important that the community provided feedback on the draft Environment Sustainability Plan.

"Your feedback will ensure that the issues identified in the Plan really are those that the community think are important," said Mr Smith.

"If the feedback identifies new or emerging issues, we will be able to include these in the Plan."

A feedback form, Executive Summary and the draft Plan are all available on Council’s website at www.basscoast.vic.gov.au. Hard copies or CDs can be picked up from any Council service centre.

Feedback forms should be sent to Bass Coast Shire Council, Environment Sustainability Plan, PO Box 118, Wonthaggi VIC 3995 before 16 January 2008. Please note that submissions may be made available to the public.

Anyone requiring further information should contact Paul Smith on 5671 2217.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: support@gippsland.com

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