Council to conserve 40% of Brisbane as natural habitat
29 August, 2007
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BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL is looking for another 250 property owners on large bushland blocks to help conserve 40 per cent of the city as wildlife corridors and habitat.
As part of his CitySmart program, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said these properties would join more than 300 large Brisbane properties that were already in Council's Wildlife Conservation Partnerships Program (WCPP).
“Council began this program about ten years ago to help property owners restore and protect privately-owned bushland,” Cr Newman said.
“Through WCPP, Brisbane residents can access free expert advice on how to protect local flora and fauna, as well as the best way to revegetate degraded or cleared areas,” he said.
Cr Newman said any Brisbane property owner with more than 0.5 hectares of habitat, or the ability to reinstate habitat, is eligible to join Council’s WCPP for free.
“Partners in the program receive regular newsletters describing a range of effective wildlife management and weed control practices, as well as the best trees to plant on their property. They also gain the most up-to-date scientific research from council’s leading university research partners,” he said.
“By actively conserving the wildlife habitats and corridors in our own backyards, residents can greatly improve the city’s biodiversity by creating healthy ecosystems in Brisbane’s bushland.”
Cr Newman said about 30 per cent of Brisbane was currently natural habitat and 84 per cent of this was on private property, so it made sense to work with property owners to increase their conservation efforts.
“We live in the most biologically diverse capital city in Australia – sharing our home town with 523 known species of native animals and 1,500 species of plants. To maintain and improve that biological diversity we need to look at practical ways of restoring our city’s natural habitats.”
“Through our CitySmart program, I am trying to build on Council’s bushland conservation efforts through an unprecedented investment in buying ‘at risk’ bushland, planting trees and helping bushcare groups remediate degraded natural habitats.”
Cr Newman said the CitySmart program was aimed at making Brisbane the most sustainable city in Australia – and restoring 40 per cent of our city to natural habitat.
The Lord Mayor’s CitySmart program is all about encouraging residents to reduce their environmental footprint through practical and affordable actions. For more information or to join the Wildlife Conservation Partnerships Program, contact Council on 3403 8888 or visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au