FoCC Update
Hi Friends,
A big thankyou to all the Friends who attended the Open House on the Canadian Park last weekend.
The Department recorded over 170 visitors to Earth Ed and were very pleased with the range and quality of the issues and wishes raised with DELWP and City of Ballarat Officers. The department has also had nearly 200 online submissions about the park with more still coming.
If you have not yet put in a response yet, the online submission process is still open and will close on the 30th April 2015 at www.delwp.vic.gov.au/canadian-park . The online submission also contains survey questions which should give DELWP a clearer picture of the usage of the forest. This will be the last chance to have your say about the boundaries, the establishment of the park and your use of the park. The Friends urge you to add your response.
DELWP have a face book page which includes the Park. Feel free to access and comment.
https://www.facebook.com/DELWPGrampians
After the close of this consultation process the Department will prepare a brief about the boundaries and type of park for the Minister. Following the brief and on upon the Ministers direction, work will begin to prepare the legislation to establish the Park. This will hopefully occur by December. Currently the government surveyors have been in the park to survey and determine where existing roads and boundaries actually are. As the Park is ex goldfields not everything is where the maps show! There will be another round of consultation about the park next year when the management of the Park is to be worked through.
Another event of interest to park supporters is: The Sixth Biodiversity Across The Borders Conference at Federation University on 12th June 2015. Register here: 2015_Conf_Registration_Form Read all about it here: Program 1st April 2015. This is a great conference and it is being held right next to Ballarat’s next big move on Bio Diversity, the “Canadian Park”.
Next FoCC general meeting: 5pm Thursday May 21st 2015 at Federation University Science Building.
Finally a big thanks to the Volunteers who worked diligently with DELWP personel to maximise the conversation and interest in the establishment of the Park at the open house.
Kind Regards
Linda, Bob and Jeff Co Convenors FoCC
Tags:biodiversity, FoCC