Local Government is increasingly being expected to deal with biodiversity, bushland management and threatened species issues. Both State Legislation (various similar Acts in different States) and Commonwealth Legislation (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) put the onus on Councils to develop and implement local and regional Biodiversity Strategies and to assess Threatened Species impacts of all activities, both private and Council actions, within their Local Government Area
Ecotone Ecological Consultants Pty Ltd is a specialist ecological consulting firm offering assistance to Councils in meeting their responsibilities with regard to Threatened Species and Biodiversity issues including the following.
- Developing Regional Biodiversity Strategies
- Conducting Local or Regional Biodiversity Surveys
- Providing impartial advice on the ecological impacts of Development Applications submitted to Council
- Assessing the ecological impacts of Council’s own activities
Preparing State of the Environment Reports for Council.
The firm has been offering ecological survey and impact assessment expertise to all levels of Government and to the planning/development industry for over 10 years.
Both the Principals have over 25 years ecological survey and impact assessment experience throughout eastern Australia and all Ecotone ecologists have several years post graduate experience.
Some of the major projects Ecotone Ecological Consultants has assisted Councils with in recent years include a Peer Review of the Lake Macquarie City Council Flora and Fauna Survey Guidelines; Flora and Fauna Surveys and Impact Assessment report for the management of Berry Park for Hornsby Council and various reviews of Development Applications for Council; and a Review of Ku-ring-gai Council Biodiversity Survey Procedures.
Strategic Land Planner at Wyong Council, Scott Duncan, said that Ecotone carried out a very good and comprehensive study for a proposed residential development at the Old Farm site.
“Five threatened species were identified including the yellow bellied glider,” he said.
At Campbelltown City Council, Ecotone assisted Council to prepare guidelines that assist developers and residents to identify threatened species.
If a report is received of a possible threatened species, a spokesperson from Campbelltown’s Planning and Development Department said that Council does not have the expertise in house to carry out the necessary assessment, so this is where Ecotone’s services have also been put to good use.
For further information contact Brian Wilson, Director of Ecotone, telephone (02) 4968 4901.
* Copy supplied by Ecotone Ecological Consultants
