Coliban Water manages a significant area of land across the north central region of Victoria, under freehold, leasehold and crown land management tenures (refer to Appendix 1 for figures).  Many of our activities and operations associated with managing this land and providing the necessary water, wastewater and re-use services have the potential to impact on biodiversity.  Coliban Water recognises the magnitude of biodiversity values that exist within the region and through its Environmental Management System, identify the raft of activities which have the potential to impact upon these biodiversity values.

Coliban Water developed a Biodiversity Action Plan in late 2002 with the aim of creating awareness throughout the business of the need to protect flora and fauna, with particular attention paid to significant species that may potentially be threatened or endangered by the impacts of our works.  The Action Plan is consistent with the outcomes sought through Victoria’s Biodiversity Strategy and was developed in accordance with the Water Services Agreement requirements.  A Biodiversity Register was also developed at this time, containing the location of a number of endangered or threatened species known to inhabit land owned by Coliban Water. 

                 Diuris Behrii - flowering mid-late Oct

Plains Wanderer

(image courtesy of A.Gay at NC CMA)

The Action Plan has since been reviewed and revised as a strategy in light of the increased knowledge acquired by the business on:

• which of our processes have the potential to impact on biodiversity;
• the lessons we have learnt in implementing the previous Action Plan;
• the additional regional strategies produced that define regional natural resource management priorities; and
• the growing number of Commonwealth and State policies that relate to protecting biodiversity values