Extractive Strategic Native Vegetation Offsets
Presentation given by Emmalene Gottwald, Director, Biodiversity Protection and Information, Biodiversity Division, Environment and Climate Action Group DELWP at the CMPA General Meeting.
A priority action of the Extractive Resources Strategy (released in 2018 and available from https://earthresources.vic.gov. au/projects/extractive-resources-strategy) is to develop a strategic approach for industry to reduce time and financial costs of meeting native vegetation offset obligations without compromising biodiversity outcomes.
DELWP will continue to undertake stakeholder engagement and analysis to assist the development and implementation of a strategic approach that:
• reduces upfront cost barriers to operators
• delivers efficiencies in securing offsets
• improves the quality of the publicly available information to assist industry in securing offsets and
• results in biodiversity benefits.
So far DELWP has undertaken:
• Issues and Options Paper approved by Taskforce in March 2022
• Stakeholder engagement with industry associations, industry members, relevant areas of DELWP and DJPR, credit brokers
• Development of a risk mapping methodology and case study on the Wyndham Strategic Extractive Resource Area (SERA)
Jason Comben CMPA Chairperson and Manager K & RJ Matthew Quarries Pty Ltd, made a comment at the CMPA AGM
“A much better outcome would have been to have them harvest seed from the trees prior to removal and propagate stock from them. At a rate of 5 or 10 to one plant that stock throughout the development providing a familiar environment for local birds, reptiles etc and keeping a connection for the indigenous species. If there is not sufficient space to plant 200 new trees
locate a degraded local area and plant them there.
Apart from a net gain of trees in the immediate environment, there is the upside of a potential for a whole industry of horticultural skills to be developed for the harvesting, propagating and planting and at worst the developer pays for the rehab of an alternate site. That is something tangible you can see.
I am not proposing to dismantle the existing system but am looking to offer an alternative for those that cannot make use of it or want to exercise their social conscience.”
Over the next 12 months DELWP will:
High level analysis and strategic planning
Avoiding and minimising native vegetation removal
Securing offsets
What can industry members do now?
Please contact Dr Elizabeth Gibson (elizabeth.gibson@cmpavic.asn.au) if you require a contact in DELWP.
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