Local report a green prompt for Melbourne
We have all heard the effects global warming might have on our world. But today, Melburnians were given a look at an environment a little closer to home when the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority (PPWCMA) released the Melbourne Environment Report 2007.
The Melbourne Environment Report 2007 rates how Melbourne and surrounds are handling the challenges thrown at its environment.
The news could be better. Melbourne might be one of the world’s most liveable cities but there are significant threats to the region’s natural assets. Further action is needed to protect the beauty and environmental integrity of Melbourne, so it continues to be a great place to live.
Arguably, the biggest challenge to the health of the environment in Melbourne and its surrounds is the overall significant loss of native vegetation. Only 30% of the region’s native vegetation remains, much less in certain areas, which poses a significant threat to both the biological diversity and health of the region.
“Native vegetation has a central role in ensuring the health of our environment. It is the habitat for birds, insects and mammals, provides structure and stability to soil and riverbanks, absorbs carbon in the atmosphere and is the natural playground for many people. Without sufficient extent and connectivity of native vegetation our natural ecosystems decline,” CEO of the PPWCMA David Buntine explained.
Health of rivers is also a concern and the quality of water in many urban rivers and streams is poor, due mostly to the impact that population has on the environment. Our large and growing city and its population have substantial impacts on a range of natural assets. Finding ways to minimise and reduce our affect on the environment is vital.
The report looks at nine separate geographic areas around Melbourne and rates the health of important environmental indicators within these areas. The indicators; extent of native vegetation, health of rivers, quality of water, groundwater supply, the condition of parks and strength of community groups provide a snapshot of how our environment is performing.
Some of those areas such as the Yarra Ranges and Nillumbik, rate well across most indicators. A large portion of that particular area is preserved in national parks, providing strong protection for its environment.
But still, these parks face threats from weeds and feral animals and call on landowners, businesses, community groups and organisations like the PPWCMA to keep these threats in check.
Other areas, such as Urban Melbourne, rate poorly across most indicators highlighting the impact of the city and its residents. Similarly, our rural areas face threats to viability through native vegetation loss and poor river health.
But it’s not all bad news! Action is underway by government, local councils and many organisations to improve the condition of Melbourne’s environment, though PPWCMA CEO David Buntine says every person, rural or urban, needs to do their bit to make Melbourne a better place to live.
“The PPWCMA is a big advocate for the “Think Globally, Act Locally” theory where every single action people take in their daily lives can make an impact. We’re not talking about letting the responsible authorities off the hook but rather individuals also doing their bit to complement what is being done at state or national levels.
“They are little things that make a big difference. Things like taking public transport instead of driving, being reallyconscious about what you do with water, switching off the lights, installing water tanks, capturing grey water, using native species for gardens and the list goes on. For our rural residents the threats are slightly different, but the same rules apply.
“We need 3.5 million Melbourne Superheroes to make a difference every day. People who get out of bed knowing the actions they take will make Melbourne a better place to live. It might be a small change or something really quite extraordinary like getting your workplace to go “carbon neutral” which is a significant, but realistic, thing to achieve.
“We’ve already seen the difference Melburnians have made to water usage since the water conservation campaign started. We believe Melburnians can have equal affect on the whole environment by making better decisions every day,” Mr Buntine explained.
The Melbourne Environment Report 2007 tells a story of how Melbourne’s environment is going and is a new monitoring tool for the public to track how it is progressing. Following its inaugural launch this year, the PPWCMA intends to publish the Melbourne Environment Report every year.
The PPWCMA has worked with a number of organisations to develop the information within the report, and it will continue to be a valuable tool to monitor, evaluate and improve the condition of our local, and global, environment in the future.
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