Update our Strategic statement and aims
For financial members only, feel free to comment please
We reviewed our Objectives in 2005, and again in 2016, it is time again to review our aims.
Of the 6 previous aims it was suggested at our January meeting, that this one becomes our Strategic Statement.
To do all things lawful to preserve the Natural Environment, especially the native flora and fauna of Maroondah and the surrounding districts.
- To join with others in the pursuit of conservation objectives in the protection of the natural environment generally. We support or belong to the following, as a group financial member
Environment Victoria
Australian Conservation Foundation
Victorian Environmental friends Network
Friends of Dandenong creek and Knox lake, habitat for the Blue Billed Duck
We also support Boomerang Alliance, which has spent 15 years lobbying for container deposit, now a reality.
- To assist local Council in sound planning of the district, having regard to the objectives of the society
CCS often makes written responses to Council, whether it be a Croydon Activity Master plan, or a strategy for one of our 3 waterways, or a response through Planning Alerts for tree removal. Or more recently we have joined with 7 Victorian climate change alliance groups, (groups of Councils) to push for law reform regarding the illegal removal of mature canopy trees from private property. We also advise on the Maroondah Environment Advisory Committee meeting quarterly.
- To be a useful and reasonable body of local public opinion for the preservation of the environment and treed character of the district.
(Interaction with our FB page and website is achieving public opinion much more effectively and connecting with our community faster)
That leaves two of our original objectives open for discussion about relevance
- To foster the preservation, retention and correct management of parklands and native flora reserves.
This role was very important back in the 60,s 70,s and 80’s Historically, CCS was the group that applied for grants, then oversaw the purchase of plants and actually did the planting around Croydon. This role has been taken over almost entirely by the Council and their bushlands team, with lists of registered Friends groups being the labour force, and Council deciding what plants will do best in which locations.
- To stimulate the interest of young people in conservation through schools and other avenues.
In general, the environment is now a part of most schools’ curriculum, whether it be in growing garden produce and cooking it, or segregating waste for better recycling, or school camps out in nature. We used to invite scout members to our plantings, but Council no longer recommends that children be a part of friends groups due to insurance issues. Our last engagement with 4 schools was in 2019 when we used the large tree sculpture for students to create a bird, insect or other creature to attach to the tree. While it was a success, we had to apply to Council for an Arts grant and complete all documented requirements, which was very time consuming.
February 19, 2024
· 
Liz Sanzaro · 
One Comment
Posted in: General
One Response
“To foster the preservation, retention and correct management of parklands and native flora reserves.”
With diminishing open space I believe the challenge is going to be what that open space is used for and how it is managed. If the community demand cycle tracks, skate parks, concrete or bitumen walking trails, etc, and council use possible litigation to justify lopping ‘dangerous’ trees, setting canopies back from walking paths etc we will find that natural passive environments become nothing more than a controlled decorative border for whatever it is residents choose to be doing on any given day. Everything will be about human utility and there will be no genuinely passive space, or a voice for wildlife. I would like to see an objective that reflects a diversity of species in our environment, so we can say we have an objective to make our homes and open space home to the other species who occupy this planet and our locale. In many modern planned estates there is no birdsong. The measure of our success at preserving a natural environment will be the wildlife we encourage. It is not just about cramming as many trees as we can into a square foot of scrub to satisfy a demand for net zero emissions, it should be about the habitat. Government housing targets will effectively evict fauna in favour of people and concrete. If our Parklands become part of our leisure facilities as well, we will lose contact completely our fellow travellers on this planet.
“To stimulate the interest of young people in conservation through schools and other avenues.”
Maybe CCS in conjunction with council create an award with a substantial prize that local secondary schools can encourage students to enter. It could be a group project that works towards an outcome for a species or an environment that is presented as a strategic plan that can be enacted by council and volunteers. We encourage young adults to identify problems or opportunities in their communities and develop creative solutions.
The reality is direct contact with children is a difficult issue. the above idea keeps the children in school guided by their teachers working towards a worthy community outcome. The prize might be provided by a local or national company, tickets, flights, hiking apparel, etc
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