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Environment Levy Programme

Wingecarribee Shire Council recognised the need to address an array of environmental issues, which had accumulated in the Shire over a period of rapid population growth spanning at least two decades. Council was granted State Government approval to implement an environment levy, which was introduced in July 2000 for an initial period of three years, in June 2003 the Environment Levy was renewed for a further five year period. The levy has been used to fundthe Wingecarribee Our Future Environment (WOFE) programme.  

WOFE is a multi-faceted environmental programme which includes three main themes being land management, river health and biodiversity conservation. Within these broad themes are included specific projects to remove weeds, restore wildlife habitat and corridors, rehabilitate rivers & creeks reduce feral animals, rehabilitate wetlands, reduce litter, reduce sediment loads and pollutants being washed into creeks and rivers, construct stormwater controls and conservation of remaining significant vegetation. 

Why is it important in the Shire?It was identified that the shire had reached a critical stage where if environmental issues were not addressed the cost of eliminating such problems in the future would be significantly more than if a programme was to be introduced without delay. Some of these problems included the proliferation of environmental weeds, the choking of our watercourses, the clearing of ecologically endangered vegetation and the maintenance of water quality in the important catchment areas of the Shire. 

What has been achieved so far with this community investment?Over the five years of the current programme, $3.02 Milliion is being invested in rectification and prevention works and in setting the framework for future environmental management. This includes over 60 rehabilitation projects completed to date as well as bush regeneration in 15 Council bushland reserves and environmental auditing of over 400 industrial and commercial premises as part of the Environmental Review & Education Programme and the resulting improvements to the environmental management of these businesses. 

How have residents been involved?A hallmark of the levy has been that many community groups such as Bushcare and Landcare Groups have worked in tandem with Council on numerous projects. One of the key advantages of the levy has been that funds have enabled Council to initiate difficult environmental projects by undertaking the heavy clearing work by contractors which subsequently, local volunteer groups have completed.The community has also had a significant involvement in the planning process for environmental levy funded projects which includes the appointment of four community representatives to the Environment Committee which oversees the WOFE programme. Council has actively encouraged the community to embrace the philosophy and implementation of the levy. 

How has the community benefited?The levy has achieved much in a sort time, it has improved community access to river corridors and reserves and the opening up of the enjoyment of these places for recreation. It has also enhanced the aesthetics of areas where work has been carried out, an example being Mount Gibraltar where the clearing of environmental weeds to restore the endangered forest, has exposed the tourism and cultural values of assets such as the mountain’s manypanoramic lookouts. It has also raised the community’s environmental awareness especially in terms of concern for the future lifestyle of the shire. The need to preserve the Shire’s lifestyle and aesthetic values is inseparable from Council’s environmental responsibility. 

The environment levy has achieved a lot in a short time and improved the environmental management of the Shire.

© 2008 Wingecarribee Shire Council
This page: http://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/environment/1171.html