National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development
Prepared by the Ecologically Sustainable Development Steering Committee
Endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments
December, 1992
ISBN 0 644 27253 8
Native Vegetation
Part 3 Intersectoral Issues - Chapter 11
Challenge
To conserve and where appropriate, restore native vegetation to maintain and enhance biodiversity, protect river water quality and conserve soil resources, including on private land managed for agriculture, forestry and urban development.
Strategic Approach
This can best be done by facilitating community and land manager involvement in the development of catchment and regional vegetation management plans; encouraging off-reserve conservation; strengthening the existing range of actions and the skills required by land managers for the effective management of land resources.
Objective 11.1
- to foster a conservation ethic, while ensuring effective measures are in place for the conservation and management of native vegetation
Governments will:
- continue actions to promote whole-farm and catchment planning and group approaches to resource management in agriculture, such as those established under the National Soil Conservation Program, Save the Bush, the National Weeds Strategy, the One Billion Trees Program and the Decade of Landcare Plans
- assess the current rate of native vegetation clearing on a national basis, including undertaking the development of national inventories of native vegetation
- support initiatives at the State and Territory level to protect native vegetation on private land, and enhance initiatives aimed at developing integrated catchment management policy structures
- work through appropriate agencies to develop a native vegetation conservation education program which is targeted at land managers, focuses on the value of retaining native vegetation in situ, while integrating this with major land uses
- review relevant legislation relating to clearing, and ensure criteria for assessing land clearance applications integrate enhancement of productivity of all lands with biodiversity conservation, land protection, water management and landscape values
- encourage voluntary management of native vegetation remnants, and review the effectiveness of mechanisms for the long term voluntary protection of native vegetation and wildlife, in order to provide a basis for deciding on the most appropriate mix
- undertake cooperative development of a range of measures, including financial incentives, cost reimbursements, and rate rebates to encourage land managers to better protect native vegetation
Objective 11.2
- to improve the quality of technical advice about conservation of vegetation and revegetation
Governments will:
- at the Commonwealth level, consider expansion of activities under the Save the Bush Program to increase technical advice and the preparation and implementation of regional vegetation plans, involving local land managers where possible
- further examine the role of regulation and public financing in facilitating the protection of native vegetation and its management