PART ONE - Campbelltown City Council - NSW Government

Planning and Environment Committee Meeting 5 April 2011 Page 312.4 Eagle Vale Pond Catchment Community Education Day2.4 Eagle Vale Pond Catchment Community Education DayReporting OfficerManager Environmental PlanningAttachmentsNilPurposeTo seek Council’s endorsement of the Eagle Vale Pond Community Education Day.HistoryDue to increasing pressures from urban development, waterways and surrounding natural areasoften become impacted upon by contamination from pollutants such as chemicals, heavy metals,oils, excess nutrients, and litter. These pollutants can enter into critical catchment locations eitherdirectly at the source or by travelling significant distances downstream through natural waterwaysor stormwater channels.Several sites across Campbelltown’s Local Government Area (LGA) have been identified aspriority areas for community engagement activities to address some of the behaviours which canpotentially harm catchment health and riparian or aquatic habitats.Eagle Vale Pond has been identified as one such site due to its proximity to urban areas, as wellas evidence of behaviours such as littering and illegal dumping. These issues have resulted in anumber of enquiries to Council regarding the health of the waterway. Specific issues cited includethe death or apparent ill health of ducks and other water birds around the pond; water quality,turbidity, and illegal dumping. Based on the identification of these issues and the level ofcommunity concern for the pond, it is believed that a Community Education Day to be held at theduck pond will help to raise community awareness regarding the behaviours which influencethese issues and to address some of the community's concerns.ReportIt is proposed that a Community Education Day be held on Sunday 1 May 2011, in associationwith the internationally celebrated Earth Day 2011 - A Billion Acts of Green. The themes of thetwo days are closely aligned in that they both emphasise conservation and taking sustainableaction. Thus it is considered that by aligning the timing of the events, visibility will be enhanced,thereby raising community interest and awareness regarding Eagle Vale’s natural environment.Further, by holding the event on a Sunday as opposed to a Saturday, when many families areotherwise engaged with sporting events and other activities, participation will be maximised.