Sarah Wotherspoon, The Herald Sun 19 Dec 07;
THE health of Melbourne's rivers, native vegetation and biodiversity is being threatened by rapid urbanisation and land clearing.
Urban development accounted for about 1400ha of woody vegetation and 2700ha of native flora being cleared every year for the past seven years.
An average 30 per cent of the region's native vegetation remains, mainly on the outer fringe, but levels are as low as 5 per cent in urban Melbourne and 19 per cent on the Mornington Peninsula.
The inaugural Melbourne Environment Report, released yesterday by the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority, said native vegetation losses were threatening native species habitat, water quality and biological diversity.
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 lists two critically endangered and 12 endangered species within the region, including the golden sun moth, orange-bellied parrot, Leadbeater's possum and the helmeted honeyeater.
The report also found less than one-third of rivers in Melbourne and surrounding areas had been assessed as in excellent or good conditions.
It said 77 per cent of rivers in Melbourne and surrounding catchments were in a moderate to very poor condition, due mainly to population growth and pollution from storm water.
The report assessed environmental conditions in nine key areas, including urban Melbourne, Port Phillip Bay, Mornington Peninsula, Western Port Bay, Bass Coast, Casey, Yarra Ranges, Macedon Ranges and Greater Geelong.
Authority CEO David Buntine said while there were some positives in the report, work on restoring native vegetation should be a priority. "There's a lot of our vegetation types that are very heavily depleted.
"When you have all of your native vegetation and you lose a little bit, it doesn't have a large or recognisable difference, but as soon as you get down to 30 per cent or less you start to see the decline in local ecosystems and flora and fauna species."
The report also found:
WATER quality in Port Phillip Bay is the best it has been in 20 years.
AQUIFER levels in the Mornington Peninsula area are steadily declining.
TURBIDITY and sediment levels in northern and eastern Western Port Bay remain high and seagrass loss has been extreme.
ONLY 12 per cent of rivers in the Melton-Greater Geelong region are in good or excellent condition.
COMMUNITY groups are taking a leading role in most areas and developing environment protection programs.
The report looked at the extent of native vegetation, river health, water quality, groundwater supply, park conditions and the strength of community groups. Indicators were given a rating of excellent to very poor based on whether they met or were on track to meet environmental targets set in 2003.
Environment Minister Gavin Jennings praised the work of community groups such as Landcare for their efforts.
