New Environmental Protection Strategy

Across the City there are approximately 1,230 hectares of natural assets in City-managed reserves, while there are about 3,260 hectares of environmental assets on private land.

This Strategy focuses on protecting the areas of high environmental value that are located on private land. Several key recommendations are included in the Strategy to achieve this and they include:

Preparing the Planning Policy - Tree Protection and Planting for New Developments.Advocating to the Western Australian Planning Commission to include a standard condition for the provision of street trees in residential subdivisions.Preparing a Wetland Protection Policy.Identifying potential future conservation areas.Incorporating provisions of the Tree Protection Policy in the Public Open Space Strategy.

Mayor Deb Hamblin said the new Planning Strategy – Environmental Protection would provide a framework to protect and enhance ecological values across the community.

“Through our Strategic Community Plan residents have made it clear that planning for future generations is a key aspiration, and the delivery of the Planning Strategy – Environmental Protection will be vital in achieving this,” Mayor Hamblin said.

“Our City is located in a unique biogeographic region of south-western Australia, and is classed as one of 36 terrestrial biodiversity hotspots in the world.

It is important that areas which hold strong environmental values are adequately protected, and this new Strategy will ensure natural areas in both the public and private realm are appropriately managed well into the future.