The ACT Government has released a draft 20-year plan for Canberra’s natural resources, including its biodiversity and Aboriginal cultural heritage.
The draft plan, Caring for Dhawura Ngunnawal: A Natural Resource Plan for the ACT 2022-2042, focuses on biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and habitation functions, sustainable agriculture, and Aboriginal cultural heritage and traditional knowledge.
The plan proposes that the ACT Government, Commonwealth Government, and other stakeholders will:
• Promote Ngunnawal language by re-naming places, animals, and plants, and incorporate Ngunnawal language into education;
• Develop a Cultural Heritage Plan;
• Instigate a River Ranger program to work alongside Ngunnawal Traditional Custodians to track river health;
• Establish a nature prescription project;
• Explore land tenure arrangements to maximise the opportunity for sustainable farm management; and
• Establish an independent Natural Resource Management advisory group to advise on the activities and implementation of the plan and associated programs.
The draft plan is now open for community feedback and will close on 17 November. The community is encouraged to provide feedback over the next six weeks via the YourSay Conversations website.
“I am grateful for the wealth of experience and knowledge that Canberra has,” Rebecca Vassarotti, ACT Minister for the Environment, said, “and I am asking you to review the draft plan and provide valuable feedback so we can develop the best possible plan of management for the next 20 years.”
The ACT Natural Resource Management region covers 2,358sqkm. Around 60 per cent of the ACT is conservation reserve, including Namadgi National Park, Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, and the many urban reserves that make up Canberra Nature Park; four per cent is forestry; 15 per cent (40,000 hectares) is devoted to farms that produce beef, lamb, and wool, and horse agistment and equestrian enterprises. Other ACT agricultural enterprises include free range eggs, chickens, alpacas and llamas, fruit and vegetables, wine, olives, and truffles.
Seventeen per cent is dedicated to the urban footprint of the city of Canberra. The ACT Planning Strategy sets a target for 70 per cent of new growth to occur within the existing urban footprint. Currently, 58 per cent of the projected growth is accommodated through ‘infill’ within the existing urban footprint. New greenfield developments are being planned and constructed in the Molonglo, West Belconnen, and Gungahlin areas.
According to Ms Vassarotti, plans like this set a vision to protect, sustain, and use the region’s natural resources. The plan also reflects current and emerging challenges: climate change, pest plants and animals, urban expansion, waterways, and bushfire hazards.
The plan is based on public feedback to a 2021 discussion paper. In its feedback, the community emphasised the importance of acknowledging Ngunnawal cultural values, climate resilience, and the connections between people and nature, Ms Vassarotti noted.
“The response reiterates what we already know – Canberrans are passionate about the environment and the natural landscape we are lucky enough to enjoy in the ACT. We listened and incorporated your input, and are now asking you to make sure we got it right.”
The government states that the plan is supported by the best available science, including the 2019 State of the Environment report.
That report predicted that as the population grows to 700,000 by 2058, the ACT’s urban footprint will expand, particularly in Molonglo, Belconnen, and Gungahlin, putting pressure on the environment.
As the population increases, so does the demand for energy and resources, the amount of waste generated, and the need for land development for infrastructure, housing, and energy production.
Everyday decisions are critical to reducing pressures on the environment. For example, minimising vehicle use, increasing water and energy efficiency in the home, reducing the consumption of goods, choosing products that are better for the environment, and improving recycling and reuse.
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