Urban Biodiversity Strategy

While the vast majority of Boroondara’s original natural vegetation was cleared to make way for farming and then urban development, there are still valuable areas of remnant vegetation and revegetated habitat along the Yarra River as well as along smaller waterways and in reserves across the municipality. Since adoption of the City of Boroondara’s first biodiversity strategy in 2003, significant progress has been made in restoring, protecting and enhancing the City’s natural environment. Amongst other things, the original strategy led to development of The Inventory and Assessment of Indigenous Flora and Fauna in Boroondara by Dr Graeme Lorimer, and a Biodiversity Corridors Plan that outlines steps to improving habitat connectivity so as to establish a biodiversity corridors network across the municipality and beyond. Progressive restoration and revegetation of biodiversity sites by Council and Friends Groups has resulted in the stunning restoration of many sites and the return of birds and other fauna. To ensure local natural habitats are protected and enhanced for future generations, Council must manage a range of complex and dynamic issues, including: o the ongoing need for skilled maintenance of revegetated and ecologically significant sites, and in particular, the challenge of controlling environmental weeds; o species and ecosystem impacts as a result of a generally
warmer and drier climate, and more extreme weather events, as a result of global warming; o impacts of urban development (such as residential infill and development within or adjacent to biodiversity corridors along the Yarra) including potential loss of vegetation, habitat continuity and landscape values; o impacts of urban development on stormwater run-off and river health (from extreme flows, pollution, litter etc) o wildlife disturbance or deaths caused by domestic pets (dogs and cats) and feral animals (eg. foxes).