Local Plants & Animals
Biodiversity
The Surf Coast Shire community considers the natural environment an important element of Surf Coast character and a source of enjoyment and wellbeing for residents (Surf Coast Shire Community Plan 2004).
Protection of indigenous flora and fauna contributes to the conservation of the natural environment and maintenance of ecosystems. It has been demonstrated that conserving native plants and animals has important environmental, economic and social benefits on a local and global scale.
There are many areas in the Surf Coast Shire of special natural significance; National Estate Heathlands, Ramsar listed and other wetland areas, natural bushland and grasslands and coastal and marine environments. These areas are home to a vast array of plants and animals which together, contribute to the unique biological diversity and natural character of the region.
The rural area of the Surf Coast Shire is enormously diverse, ranging from the Otway Ranges to the basalt plains country and the coastal regions. This diversity creates catchment and land management problems and issues which require a range of solutions. Some of these problems include pest plans such as serrated tussock, pest animals including foxes and rabbits, loss of vegetation and habitat, soil erosion, dry land salinity, degradation of waterways and wetlands, and loss of biodiversity.
The Surf Coast Shire can assist with integrated catchment management and land care in a number of ways. First by playing a coordinating role linking the activities of community landcare and environment groups, landowners and government departments. Secondly, by working in partnership, innovative strategies can be devised to tackle land and water degradation and resources can be used more efficiently and effectively to achieve local and regional catchment management objectives.
Revegetation
Locally indigenous plants are the best choice for gardens, reserves and roadsides if you want to help to improve biodiversity in the Surf Coast Shire. The links below will help you select species suitable to your area.
Funding opportunities for community projects
From time to time, there are opportunities for community groups to receive assistance with their environmental / landcare projects. The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA) provides a regular update on current funding opportunities.
Useful Links
Flora and Fauna Action Group
The Surf Coast Shire Flora and Fauna Action Group is concerned with the protection of indigenous flora and fauna across all land tenures in the Shire. Members include officers from Surf Coast Shire, Parks Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Vic Roads, Alcoa, ANGAIR and Great Ocean Road Coast Committee.
Collection of firewood for winter in the Surf Coast Shire
Native vegetation, including fallen timber, is protected on all roadsides within the Surf Coast Shire. Illegally removing native vegetation on roadsides can incur a heavy fine.
Surf Coast Shire residents can apply to obtain a permit to collect firewood from a designated site within the Otway Forest Park. For further information please contact the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) in Geelong Ph. 5226 4667.
Roadside management
Roadsides are linear reserves that serve a number of functional, recreational, conservation and land management purposes. Council manages these reserves on behalf of the Crown and the community. Inherent to the responsibility of roadside management is the need to balance the protection of roadside values with providing a safe road network, service delivery and fire and flood management.
Surf Coast Shire’s broad approach to roadside management is reflected in its adopted roadside management vision, which is to:
“effectively and co-operatively manage a network of road reserves by incorporating the values of different user groups, integrating fire prevention, flora and flora diversity, safety and cultural/heritage values and recognising that the function of roads is to provide access and transportation across the landscape”.
Council has prepared a Roadside Management Strategy, Code of Environmental Practice and Roadside Management Prescriptions. The Strategy sets the broad objectives and actions for roadside management. The Code of Environmental Practice aims to protect roadside values through defining best practice techniques for road construction and maintenance. The roadside management prescriptions adopt the management approach of “protect, enhance, restore”, in line with the Corangamite Native Vegetation Plan. The Prescriptions define management techniques appropriate to different ecological vegetation classes. These techniques aim to ensure the long term protection and enhancement of vegetation communities, habitats and species. The Prescriptions are complimented by the roadside vegetation mapping on the Shire’s internal Geographical Information System (GIS).