PRINCIPLES
1. Victoria’s unique indigenous biodiversity is valuable and must be protected.
2. Bio diverse ecosystems and ecosystem processes sustain Earth’s life support systems including the climate system.
3. Biodiversity is essential to human survival, health and wealth.
4. Healthy and resilient ecological systems are essential for current and future generations and include our cities, agricultural and rural enterprises, rivers, grasslands, woodlands, forests, fauna and flora.
5. Economic development and technologies must be within the limits of our bio diverse ecosystems if we are to survive and flourish.
6. The loss of Victoria’s biodiversity poses an unacceptable risk to human and ecosystem health, and dramatically reduces our ability to cope with major ecological threats.
7. Victorian ecosystems are vital for the survival of nationally and internationally significant species of migratory animals and the loss of biodiversity in Victoria has national and international ramifications.
8. Local Indigenous Networks have an important role to play in the protection of Victorian biodiversity.
9. All legislation should abide by precautionary principles, that is if an action or a policy has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, protective action should be supported before there is complete scientific proof of a risk.
AIMS
1. Review all current environmental legislation to evaluate where it is protecting our natural environment, including areas and species, and identify where improvement is needed.
2. Passing of legislation to prevent actions which are damaging our ecological systems and processes.
3. Resourcing of environmental legislation implementation to fulfil its primary objectives of maintaining and improving the natural environment.
4. Establishment of a comprehensive state-wide biodiversity framework with a funding mechanism aimed at reversing the ongoing degradation of existing biodiversity. This framework will give priority to protecting ecosystems, allowing our fauna and flora to evolve naturally.
5. A comprehensive, adequate and representative system of terrestrial, freshwater and marine protected areas (MPAs) including all remaining areas of high conservation value, managed primarily to protect biodiversity.
6. Protection from accidental or deliberate introduction of exotic plants, animals and organisms, which could compromise Australia’s biodiversity, agriculture or human health.
7. Support for science-based large scale programs for habitat protection, and restoration of ecological systems and protection of all indigenous species.
8. Support for effective integration of regional and urban planning, ecological sustainability, economic development and social wellbeing.
9. Liaison and support for environmentally focused community groups to further identify areas of environmental concern.
10. Introduction of state measures to end broad scale clearing and incremental loss of native vegetation including degradation of native forests.
11. Establishment of evidence based buffer zones in high conservation areas, with linkage and restoration of ecological fragments on public and private land.
12. Research into humane and sustainable means of controlling existing and potential threats to biodiversity from feral animals, weeds and pest species.
13. An increase in and enforcement of penalties for the killing or capture of state listed threatened and endangered species and damage to their habitat.
14. Support programs to work with private landowners and community groups to protect, restore and conserve natural values on their land, including conservation covenants.
15. Development and enforcement of recovery plans for threatened and endangered species and protection plans for ecological communities.
16. An increase in funding to biosecurity services to anticipate new invasive species threats posed by climate change and expanded pathways resulting from globalised trade and travel.
17. The creation of indigenous flora and fauna reserves where animals and plants can be protected or re-established.
18. Resourcing of educational and research bodies to monitor the status of Victoria’s ecosystems to enable the introduction of programs to educate Victorians on the benefits of improved biodiversity.
Biodiversity Policy as amended by the membership on 23 June 2024.