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Nature Conservation Strategy

The Ipswich Nature Conservation Strategy (NCS) is a strategic level document. This document provides a four year direction and action plan on how to achieve the long term 2020 vision for the conservation of natural assets across the City. It replaces and builds upon the Nature Conservation Strategy (2000).

Introduction to the Document

Mayor's Message

The Ipswich Nature Conservation Strategy is an important document to guide all stakeholders in the protection and management of natural areas of our city.

Key stakeholders in the consultation process for this next four year stage of the Strategy included local government elected representatives, the Climate Change Taskforce comprising representatives from construction, Waste and Communications Industries, the Departments of Defence and Transport, the State Government's Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Natural Resources and Water, WESROC, SEQ Catchments and the adjoining Councils of Brisbane, Logan, Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley and Somerset.

Everyone recognises the benefits of having an articulated and clearly communicated roadmap for a shared vision for the future in our rapidly expanding city.

The Nature Conservation Strategy identifies the desired elements and the management approaches which may be required to achieve these goals.

This includes identification of significant vegetation for protection, the enhancement of nature conservation values in rural, urban and industrial areas, rehabilitation and protection of waterways, management of Conservation Estates and bushland reserves, partnerships with private landholders and community awareness programs.

It also recognises the prioritisation and increase in nature conservation activity as a core business for Council with an understanding of new approaches and innovation to address pressures on the city's natural values.

Residents can be confident the Nature Conservation Strategy will protect and manage the city's natural areas for the benefit of future generations.

Message From Environment and Conservation Committee Chairperson - Cr Cheryl Bromage

The Ipswich City Council's Nature Conservation Strategy (NCS) 2008 provides a clear direction to protect and manage nature conservation outcomes around our beautiful city for the next four years.

Ipswich is home to a diverse range of nature, including over 1,500 species of plants and 550 species of animals. The city's vegetation is dominated by eucalypt woodland forests, but also includes significant ecosystems such as the nationally endangered swamp tea tree.

Since numerous species are listed as rare and threatened, including the City's floral and faunal emblems (the Plunkett Mallee and Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby), a Nature Conservation Strategy was developed and adopted in 2000.

Ipswich City Council recognises the increasing demands and pressures on the natural areas due to population growth in south east Queensland.

In response, the NCS was updated in 2008 with a four year plan for action designed to prioritise important areas for protection, management and rehabilitation including our waterways, conservation estates and bushland reserves. The NCS builds upon the commitment to ongoing partnerships with private landholders and the delivery of community awareness programs. It also addresses the issues of global warming such as climate change.

The NCS 2008 recognises that successful delivery of nature conservation requires involvement, co-operation and partnerships with all stakeholders across Ipswich. This includes all levels of government, private landowners, businesses and industrial partners and non-government agencies.

Executive Summary

The natural environment is a core input into the liveability and prosperity of the city, and is embedded as core business for Council.

Council's role in nature conservation is to implement policy, provide management support and deliver on-ground outcomes in priority areas across the city, for local and regional benefits.

Council will develop new approaches for nature conservation that require a step change; not incremental change. The window for innovation and action is over the next 5 to 10 years.

There are a number of emerging issues in nature conservation which require new approaches for implementation. The most significant of these include:

Recognition that protected and managed natural areas form part of the ‘green infrastructure' of the City; an important Council asset that requires planning, funding, managing and maintaining similar to other strategic assets;
The need to embed nature conservation into all sections of Council, and an increased role for all sections in its implementation;
Partnerships with a range of external government agencies, organisations and business and industry for resources, funding and delivery;
Implementing emerging approaches such as carbon and biodiversity offsets, and an ecosystem services in a coordinated and strategic manner;
A comprehensive and integrated program to attract greater involvement of rural landholders in voluntary management of their properties;
Recognition of the importance of education, communications and marketing across all programs; and
A flexible and creative approach to protecting and managing native habitat within urban areas.

Download

Nature Conservation Strategy (PDF, 9.5 mb)

Please note this document is 9.5 megabytes and could take some time to download on slower connections. If you have trouble retrieving it on your computer feel free to find it in our libraries.

Legal Status

This strategy has no formal legal status. It is adopted by Ipswich City Council as a strategic planning document for the next 4 years. Reviews will be undertaken every 12 months to update and ensure relevance an accuracy of intent. A comprehensive review process will commence in 3.5 years.

Last Updated 2 Jun 2009 |

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