Hepburn Reserve protected under Government Plan

27/12/00
The Hepburn Conservation Reserve and Koondoola Open Space will be permanently protected under a $100 million, 10-year initiative announced by Planning Minister Graham Kierath.
Launching Bush Forever, Mr Kierath said the Government would protect the regionally significant reserves as part of its plan to protect about 18 per cent of the remnant vegetation in the Perth metropolitan area.
Mr Kierath said retaining the Hepburn Conservation Reserve at 253ha and the Koondoola Open Space at 135ha was important to all of Perth and the northern suburbs in particular.

"Bush Forever aims to achieve a sustainable balance between conservation and development in Perth," the Minister said.
"The Koondoola Open Space is an important site for rare species of wildlife and plants including the Western Jewel Butterfly and Splendid Fairy Wren, and is listed by the National Trust of Australia (WA).
"The Hepburn Conservation Reserve contains a diverse range of flora and fauna, including a number of rare species and is also on the interim list of the Register of the National Estate.
"Bush Forever is all about keeping the bush in the city, with nearly 300 important sites identified stretching north to Two Rocks, east to Darlington and south to Serpentine."
Mr Kierath said up to 33,000ha of the land identified under Bush Forever already had some protection.
"Bush Forever will enhance the protection of this land, as well as extending protection to nearly 18,000ha of regionally significant bushland for the first time," he said.
The Government has already moved to protect up to 60 per cent of the sites identified in Bush Forever.
"This has seen us protect some really significant areas of bushland that otherwise may have been lost to development," Mr Kierath said.
"A range of other innovative solutions is being developed with landowners to facilitate and encourage conservation of private land.
"Perth's biodiversity is already one of the highest recorded in any major city in the world and Bush Forever will ensure it would be retained for future generations."
Bush Forever delivers on the Government's commitment to prepare a strategic plan for conservation, identified in the 1995 Urban Bushland Strategy. Extensive public consultation was undertaken for the initiative in 1998 and 1999.
Mr Kierath said it was one of the most significant conservation initiatives ever undertaken in Western Australia and placed Perth at the forefront of world cities conserving their biodiversity.
He said Bush Forever followed World Conservation Union guidelines and would be implemented by an advisory body with representatives from scientific, conservation and development interests.
Media contact: Zac Donovan (08) 9213 6400