Biodiversity Action Plan helps increase remnant vegetation in Waverley

3 September 2021

Waverley Council has unanimously endorsed its Biodiversity Action Plan- Remnant Sites 2021-2030 for community consultation. Consultation is open until 21 September.

The Plan aims to increase and protect remnant vegetation in Waverley through planned actions at 13 sites where such bushland is present including: Diamond Bay Reserve, Raleigh and Rodney Reserves, Hugh Bamford Reserve, Williams Park, Tamarama Pacific Marine Drive and the Waverley Cemetery Cliffs.

Remnant vegetation is vegetation that existed pre-1788 and has remained relatively undisturbed in the intervening 230+ years.

Mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos said actions outlined in Council’s previous Biodiversity Action Plan- Remnant sites had helped double the amount of remnant vegetation in good condition in Waverley since 2015.

“This was one of the key findings of our 2020 Waverley Flora Study and Remnant Condition Survey, and these increases in vegetation condition are strong evidence that our Biodiversity Action Plans work and we want to build on these successes,” Mayor Masselos said.

“Last year, we also recorded four vegetation species not previously recorded in the LGA as well as four species that we haven’t recorded since 1995. Given we are one of the most densely population LGAs in Australia, this success in protecting and growing our green spaces is important and especially pleasing.”

The Waverley local government area is home to the critically endangered ecological community Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, which is protected under Commonwealth and State legislation, as well as the threatened plant species Acacia terminalis subspecies Eastern Sydney at a location at Dover Heights. This is the only remaining population of this species in the LGA.

“At the moment, we have around 63 locally rare plant species in Waverley which account for more than half (54%) of all our indigenous plant species.”

“Our Biodiversity Action Plan is a very important body of work, especially considering Waverley is such a densely populated area, so we encourage the community to participate in our consultation."

-ENDS-

Media inquiries: media@waverley.nsw.gov.au