City aim to grow Albany’s urban forest and biodiversity

Published on Wednesday, 6 March 2024 at 12:10:59 PM

The City of Albany is aiming to assess environmental values through the development of a new Local Biodiversity Strategy and a comprehensive revision of its Urban Forest Strategy.

These initiatives intend to safeguard the region's unique biodiversity while enhancing the urban landscape for the benefit of residents and the wider community.

Residents are invited to have their say on the future of the City’s natural environment via a survey that will provoke the community’s thinking around Albany’s biodiversity and urban forest canopy.

The Local Biodiversity Strategy aims to integrate biodiversity conservation into planning and decision-making processes, ensuring the protection of the natural environment and diverse flora and fauna.

The Strategy will assess opportunities and constraints to biodiversity conservation, considering factors such as the legislative framework and the extent of habitats and species. It will establish criteria and set priorities to identify suitable areas for protection and/or management.

Community and stakeholder engagement, including the establishment of a Community Stakeholder Group, will ensure that the strategic outcomes of the Strategy play a crucial role in integrating biodiversity conservation into planning and decision-making processes across the entire municipality.

Concurrently, the City is reviewing the Urban Tree Strategy and expanding it to create an Urban Forest Strategy, which encompasses all vegetation within the urban environment, including native and non-native species on both private and public land.

The Urban Forest Strategy aims to enhance public amenity, improve air quality, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and promote public health through the expansion of urban tree canopy cover.

Residents can access the Local Biodiversity and Urban Forest Community Survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WW829K6 until Friday 12th April 2024.

Back to All News