Local Biodiversity Strategy: - Shire of Kalamunda

5.2.3 How will natural areas be protected?
Implementation of the Local Biodiversity Strategy will assist in the protection of LNAs
through consideration of:
• biodiversity when preparing detailed local structure plans;
• assessing subdivision and development applications with more rigorous
ecological criteria; and
• making minor amendments to the Local Planning Scheme No.3.
This will be assisted by the development of a Local Planning Policy for Biodiversity
Conservation. The Local Planning Policy will provide a formalised and equal
assessment process for each development proposal likely to affect LNAs. A detailed
desktop assessment and on-ground surveys may be required prior to any approvals
or work commencing.
Between 2001 and 2005, 59 ha of endemic vegetation were cleared, mostly in LNAs.
Indicating therefore the future of LNAs is uncertain and the remaining LNAs be
considered as retained but not protected. The LBS aims to increase the protection of
these areas. For the purposes of this report, an area will be protected if:
• Public land has been vested for the purposes of conservation;
• Private land is covered by a management agreement of at least 5 years; or
• Private land has a permanent conservation covenant.
It should also be noted that protected natural areas will need to be managed to
alleviate the threats to biodiversity and funds will need to be allocated. Generally
larger areas in good or excellent condition require less maintenance than smaller
more degraded areas.
5.2.4 How will natural areas be identified?
Locally significant natural areas in the Shire of Kalamunda have been identified using
the criteria detailed in the Local Government Biodiversity Planning Guidelines. The
standard ecological criteria for local biodiversity planning are grouped under the
following themes:
• Representation of ecological communities;
• Diversity;
• Rarity;
• Maintaining ecological processes or natural systems – connectivity; and
• Protecting wetland, streamline and estuarine fringing vegetation.
These criteria have also been used to develop local biodiversity targets which are
detailed in Part B.
Local Biodiversity Strategy Page 28