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Network Objectives
The establishment and maintenance of an active network of people who share a
common interest in rainforest and associated vegetation types in East Gippsland.
Promotion of community and government awareness to the unique and important
contribution that rainforests and associated vegetation types make to the
regions biodiversity;
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flora and fauna,
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provision of habitat,
especially to threatened and migratory species,
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cultural values,
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water quality,
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stream health,
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intercepting nutrient
pollution,
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landscape amenity,
and,
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tourism.
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To increase the number and area of rainforest sites that are permanently
protected and actively managed through a range of mechanisms including;
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Covenanting,
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property acquisition,
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revolving funds,
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section 173
agreements,
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land management
agreements, and
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site management plans
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Facilitation of information sharing and educational opportunities to enhance
network participants and community understanding of rainforests ecosystems and
their management.
Development of projects to restore, maintain and manage rainforests ecosystems.
(This includes all aspects of project management including funding acquisition,
project identification, planning, implementation and monitoring.)
To broaden membership
of the Network to include all private and public land managers.
(*East Gippsland is defined as east of, and including, the Mitchell River
Catchment.)
Background
East
Gippsland retains some of the most significant stands of rainforest left in
Victoria that have both state and national significance.
All of
the rainforests of the East Gippsland UDF study area are threatened, and many
provide habitat for both Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
Act (1999)-listed plants and Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (2988)-listed plants
and animals.
Much of
this rainforest estate has been cleared and all of the rainforest vegetation is
either listed as threatened under States Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988)
(the Warm Temperate Rainforest floristic communities) or is in the final stages
of the nomination process (the Littoral Rainforest floristic communities) under
the Federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity and Conservation Act
(1999).
The
Council (and by extension the community that it represents) has obligations
under these acts of Parliament to conserve these threatened rainforest
communities as well as their threatened plants and animals.
In
Victoria, rainforests conserve 4% of the states plant diversity (30% of which
are rare and threatened species), despite occupying less than 0.14% of the
States land area.
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Rainforests are excellent water processors and have been proven locally to strip
up to 70% of the phosphorous from surface storm water and 88% from ground water.
This works best in streams of up to third order (which matches all of the stream
orders of the gully systems in the UDF study area);
Rainforests are fire retardant and so their presence in the urban environment is
a benefit in this regard;
Rainforests consist of species that are restricted in the landscape that can
only be conserved by protecting rainforests and their fringing ecotones;
Rainforest on or adjacent to properties is a major selling point for real
estate;
Rainforests enable urban kids to experience the bush with relative safety near
to home;
Rainforests enhance recreational opportunities (picnicking, nature study,
bird-watching, bush walking etc.); and
Rainforests contribute to improved landscape amenity.
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