By Cr Trent Sullivan
Council is committed to ensuring we enhance and protect the range of natural assets we have in our region.
Our Environment Strategy 2020-30 details our environmental sustainability goals and how we will act to protect our region’s environment and reduce our environmental footprint.
This document guides our planning, decision-making and actions as we strive to improve the health of our local environment and protect the lifestyle our community enjoys.
Specifically, the Environment Strategy defines five key goals to guide our planning and decision making.
These goals are: Become a zero-emission, climate-ready city and region; Create greener community spaces; Contribute to a circular economy by reducing waste; Protect, enhance and restore our region’s biodiversity; and achieve better integrated water management through planning and design.
The focus of this strategy is to improve the health of our local environment, while simultaneously striving to protect the lifestyle we all enjoy.
It has been informed by what’s happening both locally and internationally, as well as the knowledge and ideas of those who participated in our engagement processes.
That collaborative spirit has again been on show in organising The Geelong Nature Festival.
This festival is a joint initiative organised and supported by the City, the Geelong Field Naturalists Club, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Deakin University, the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, as well as many community groups.
Encouraging people to get outside and enjoy time in our shared backyard is one of the main features of the festival, which officially starts on Friday, 15 September and runs for six weeks.
It features more than 80 events, including nature-based activities, workshops, guest speakers, presentations and displays.
Gardening Australia presenter Hannah Moloney will launch the festival at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre, with a gardening demonstration at the Geelong Botanic Gardens on Saturday, 16 September.
Hannah is best known for her work in permaculture and as an ABC presenter, and will be sharing fun ways of turning your backyard into a haven for wildlife.
Our region features many diverse urban, rural and coastal environments, with large areas dedicated to the conservation of remnant indigenous vegetation, and flora and fauna species of international, national, state and regional significance.
Emphasising that diversity we have on our doorstep, the festival will spend a focused week in six different landscapes we enjoy across Wadawurrung Country.
These include Central Geelong, Armstrong Creek, Highton/Waurn Ponds, Portarlington, North Geelong and Anakie.
It means there is something for everybody no matter what age, or no matter where abouts in Greater Geelong you live.
For more information and to see the festival program, visit geelongaustralia.com.au/naturefestival
