New vegetation strategy to build on 50 MCGs of weed removal
Published on 11 November 2022
The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority has released a new vegetation strategy to further improve the health of our coastal environment.
The third edition of the Coastal Vegetation Strategy (CVS), formerly known as the Native Vegetation Weed Action Plan, has expanded to include coastal Crown land managed by the Authority from Point Impossible in Torquay, to Marengo, south-west of Apollo Bay.
The new strategy will build on the work of the previous action plan, which saw the removal of 100 hectares of weeds between Torquay and Lorne – enough weeds to cover the MCG oval 50 times – and improved habitat by increasing native vegetation.
An independent assessment of the previous plan showed a 54% decrease in weed coverage, which could not have been achieved without the ongoing and significant contribution from our volunteers, community groups and schools.
The new strategy is fundamental to protecting our Crown land reserves, which covers around 1,090 hectares and supports landscapes such as sandy beaches, dune systems, cliffs, heathlands, shore platforms and estuaries.
Over the next five years, the CVS will shape and guide our conservation work and provide technical guidance to improve environmental outcomes along the Great Ocean Road. This will help ensure our on-ground works complement those carried out by our hardworking community volunteers to achieve the best possible conservation outcomes.
The strategy provides recommendations for addressing a range of emerging environmental matters including weed removal, native fauna monitoring, domestic animals, litter, illegal rubbish dumping and domestic garden weed ‘escapees’.
The strategy was prepared in consultation with a range of stakeholders and included feedback and support from the Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Aboriginal Corporation and Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation.
We thank the invaluable input made by volunteer groups along the Great Ocean Road in both the development of this strategy and for their ongoing contributions in caring for our coast.
Quotes attributable to Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority CEO, Jodie Sizer
“The Coastal Vegetation Strategy is critical to achieving our vision to protect and enhance ecological values along the Great Ocean Road.
“The input from numerous stakeholders in our community has been invaluable during its development, and I look forward to seeing our coastal environment continue to flourish over the next five years.”