A report for the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Ecosystem Decline has been published, which is the most extensive report undertaken by the Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee, urging the Victorian government to take urgent action to protect the possible extinction and threatened animal and plant species under state law. The inquiry was held over eight months had over 1,000 submissions, including Landcare groups and networks, demonstrating the importance of environmental conservation to Victorians.
The report reiterated that reversing ecosystem decline is essential not only for our wellbeing, but for our survival. The report highlights that Government, industry and community must mitigate impacts of ecosystem decline at large and must be seen as a shared responsibility. Landcare Victoria Inc. as well as Landcare networks and groups recommendations have been recognised in the inquiry, as well as the value of Landcare in Victoria. The report highlights that Landcare is a valuable volunteer movement who contribute to reducing land degradation and improving biodiversity and ecosystems primarily on private land.
One of the findings in the report is Victorian Landcare groups undertake critical biodiversity protection, conservation and restoration activities that provide significant value to Victoria, including on private land, and one of the recommendations in the report is the Victorian Government further invest in strengthening regionally based natural resource management programs, including funding of local community based organisations such as Landcare to cover Landcare coordinators and grants for Landcare projects.
Read the full report for the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Ecosystem Decline