Conservation and Environmental Strategies

The City of Canning has implemented a number of Conservation and Environment Strategies.

Environmental Management Strategy

Working to achieve better environmental management outcomes, the Environment Management Strategy provides a framework to help inform and develop plans. The goals of the strategy are:

• Protecting, preserving and promoting our natural places, flora and fauna.
• Sustainably managing resources.
• A sustainable and environmentally aware community.

The key considerations are:

• Climate change
  Understand and address potential outcomes of climate change and facilitate the development of a resilient City.
• Natural areas
  Maintain, enhance and restore natural areas and protect biodiversity values.
• Water
  Protect and enhance waterways, wetlands and the groundwater and ensure sustainable use and management of water resources.
• Heritage
  Protection of the significant environmental and cultural values of the Canning River together with the region’s traditional owners.
• Built environment
  Deliver built form outcomes that optimise energy, water and waste resource use of places and spaces over their whole-of-life.

Local Biodiversity Strategy

At its Ordinary Council Meeting 19 June 2018, Council endorsed the Local Biodiversity Strategy 2018.

The strategy outlines a 20-year action plan for the protection and strategic management of natural areas in the City. The actions include:

• Improved provisions for biodiversity in the City’s local planning framework and their application in future land use decisions.
• Development of a Strategic Local Reserve Management Plan.
• Development of a plan for restoration of natural areas in the City.
• Development of an incentive package to encourage vegetation retention and increased use of local plants in landscaping by developers and private landholders.
• Continued support to community volunteers engaged in bushland restoration activities.
• Mainstreaming consideration of biodiversity within all City programs and adopting a communications strategy that engages all government and community stakeholders.

Water Management Strategy

The City's Water Management Strategy provides a framework for the achievement of better water management outcomes. The strategy has the following objectives:

• Recognise the ecological, social and cultural importance of water.
• Respond to the needs of the environment and community in a changing climate.
• Educate and inform the community to build understanding and support for change.
• Promote innovative and visionary approaches to water management.
• Protect and restore the water quality, hydrological and ecological function of wetlands, waterways and groundwater systems.
• Reduce water use overall and promote the fit-for purpose use of all available water resources.
• Deliver functional and sustainable public open spaces.

These objectives have been developed in response to key water-related issues which fall into five core themes for water management:

1. Planning for a future population
   • Planning and land use
   • Community facilities
   • Infrastructure
2. Catchment management
   • Topography and soil
   • Surface water
   • Water quality
3. Water availability and efficiency
   • Surface water
   • Ground water
4. Preparing for a future climate
   • Current climate
   • Future climate
5. Djarlgarra – the Canning River, a place of abundance
   • Biodiversity
   • Heritage