Native Species

Native vegetation is crucial for the health of New South Wales’ environment; supporting agricultural productivity as well as the biodiversity that is central to Australia's cultural identity.

Native vegetation:

• controls erosion through protecting soils and riverbanks

• reduces land degradation and salinity

• improves water quality and availability

• provides habitat for a wealth of unique biodiversity including threatened species.

In addition, native vegetation in NSW stores a significant amount of carbon, mitigating the effects of climate change.

The native vegetation in coastal areas plays an important role in stabilising the surface against wind erosion and provides habitat for wildlife. Coastal dunes provide a buffer against coastal hazards such as wind erosion, wave overtopping and tidal inundation during storm events. They also provide a source of sand to replenish the beach during periods of erosion. For this reason, the protection of coastal vegetation is important for the long-term protection of beach front properties. Council hopes that residents will take an active approach in understanding the necessity for coastal areas to remain in a natural state and help us to protect not only the natural environment but in the longer term people’s homes and properties.

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There is a growing body of evidence about the benefits of native vegetation to both on-farm production and broader catchment values. Healthy catchments and farming land can be estimated to increase farm productivity nationally by over $1 billion per annum (2002). This is a 5% increase in the total value of agricultural production. The restoration of native vegetation, in combination with the protection and rehabilitation of remnant vegetation, can reverse the negative effects of clearing and habitat fragmentation.

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