FAQs

Our planet is home to many different forms of life. Some are large, like trees, birds, fish and people. Others are small, like insects, fungi and tiny organisms in soil and water.

Biodiversity is the variety of life around us, how it connects, and the natural places that support it. This includes plants, animals, insects, fungi, soil, waterways, habitats and ecosystems.

A tree is not just a tree. It provides shade, holds soil in place, gives birds somewhere to nest and provides food for insects. Its leaves break down and enrich the soil, helping more plants grow and supporting other animals.

Biodiversity supports the health of our environment and the liveability of our local area. It contributes to cleaner air and water, provides shade during hot weather, supports healthier waterways, stabilises soils, reduces flood risk, and offers habitat for native wildlife.

It also plays an important role in community health and wellbeing. Areas with biodiversity provide spaces for people to walk, relax, and connect with nature and help to maintain the unique character and lifestyle of the Sutherland Shire.

Biodiversity exists not only in bushland and national parks, but also throughout our everyday urban environments. It can be found in streets, parks, neighbourhoods and backyards, where native trees, gardens, wetlands and connected green spaces all play a role.

These areas provide important habitat, cooling, and movement pathways for wildlife, helping to support biodiversity across Sutherland Shire.

 We live in one of the most biodiverse areas in Sydney. It includes coastal habitats, waterways, wetlands, bushland, urban tree canopy and nationally significant ecosystems.

The area also contains large, interconnected areas of bushland, which are important for native plants and animals. These natural areas are part of what makes Sutherland Shire distinctive, but they also need active protection and management as the area grows and changes.

Council already does a range of work that supports biodiversity, including bushland management, tree planting, waterway health, open space planning, environmental education and land use planning.

Scientific evidence and community feedback from pre strategy engagement confirm that without stronger, more coordinated action, these pressures will intensify, reducing the diversity of our wildlife, the health of our waterways and bushland, and the essential services ecosystems provide.

The draft Biodiversity Strategy brings this work together under a clearer long-term direction. It helps us look across the whole local area, including bushland, waterways, coast, parks, streets and urban spaces, and consider how these places work together as part of a connected natural system.

It also helps guide more consistent decisions over time, so biodiversity is considered earlier in planning, design, asset management and environmental programs.

The draft identifies priorities and actions to better protect native plants, animals, habitats and ecosystems across Sutherland Shire. This includes bushland, waterways, coastal areas, parks, streets, gardens and other urban areas that support biodiversity.

Some biodiversity-related work is already part of Council’s day-to-day operations, existing programs or business-as-usual service delivery. The Strategy and Implementation Plan focus on key priorities, new actions and areas where stronger coordination is needed, rather than listing every existing task Council already delivers.

The Biodiversity Strategy sits alongside other Council strategies, including the Climate Strategy, Tree and Bushland Strategy and Draft Resilience Strategy. 

Together, these strategies guide how Council protects natural areas, manages trees and bushland, responds to climate and resilience risks, and improves the places people use every day.

The Strategy recognises the Dharawal people as Traditional Custodians and acknowledges the importance of cultural continuity and the sharing of knowledge. It commits to working collaboratively with Aboriginal organisations and knowledge holders to support connection to Country.

The Strategy does not directly change current development approval requirements. However, it may inform future updates to planning controls, such as the Development Control Plan, to provide clearer and more consistent guidance on how biodiversity is considered early in planning and design to improve environmental outcomes.

Some actions are already funded and may progress sooner, while others will depend on funding, resourcing, further planning, partnerships and Council priorities.

Actions have been prioritised based on biodiversity value, risk, urgency, available resources, community benefit, legislative requirements and opportunities to work with partners, landholders and the community.

Discover more about our natural environment, bushcare, waterways, pollution and our commitment to a clean future by clicking here.