Page 4087 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 20 September 2011
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Progress website has an online report card on life in Canberra and keeps the community informed of our progress towards sustainability. The 28 key indicators of the ACT’s progress reported on this website provide comprehensive information. The government considers accurate and available information as a critical contributor to sustainability.
The government is also progressing triple bottom line agency reporting, which takes into account economic, environmental and social aspects. In this regard, the government is currently trialling a triple bottom line assessment tool to guide agencies in assessing the full benefits and impacts of government initiatives.
An ecological footprint is a calculation of the amount of land and water required to support our resource use and waste disposal. With a population of over 350,000, the ACT must source the majority of its food and most goods and services from outside its borders. The ecological footprint measures confirm this and challenge us to source goods and services with low embodied ecological footprints. In reducing our ecological footprint of consumption we also need to care for our important land and water resources. We need to keep the resources of the ACT in good order and to manage the direct impact we have on our urban environment.
The location and shape of the territory are a product of the establishment of the ACT as the national capital, where water security was a key determining factor. This has left a legacy of relatively intact water catchments, with most of the land above 750 metres protected and managed with the conservation reserve system. The ACT also benefits from the vision of Walter Burley Griffin, with relatively large and well-connected lowland and riparian vegetation remnants, and it is a stronghold for many nationally threatened species and communities.
The challenge remains to continue to conserve our natural resources while accommodating our growing population. The significant reservations of grasslands and lowland grassy woodlands are evidence of the commitment to achieving a sustainable balance between nature conservation and use of land for urban development. In managing how our city grows, the government will conserve and protect areas of significance where possible.
The government is also working to mitigate the impacts of urban development on adjacent natural areas. Initiatives such as cat containment, enhanced investment in weed and pest control, animal management and support for community-based park care groups are all playing a part in building a more resilient landscape. The creation of “bush on the boundary” groups in Gungahlin, Molonglo and, more recently, at the Jerrabomberra wetlands-Kingston foreshores area are also a positive step to addressing the practical and detailed issues around urban development and its impact on neighbouring natural areas.
These groups have been formed by the community with support from the ACT government. They provide a forum where community members, local catchment and landcare groups, government land managers, private sector estate developers and planners can meet, share information and agree on common actions. The government also supports the operation of the Conservation Council in the ACT, the Canberra
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