Achieving Biodiversity Conservation in Victoria Peter Betson Executive Director, DEPI

OUTLINE Biodiversity in Victoria Victoria’s framework for conserving biodiversity Recent developments in Victoria Future policy directions for Victoria

Maintain biodiversity Standards, markets and rights RegulationsCommunitiesInvestment Reporting and accounts Biodiversity framework Science Decision systems

Biodiversity framework Figure shows components of gains and losses in native vegetation that need to sum to at least zero

Recorded management in conservation reserves Unrecorded management in conservation reserves Additions to the reserve system No active management in conservation reserves Government incentives and new covenants Voluntary management and increases in extent Entitled land uses and exemptions Remotely-sensed reductions in extent (illegal clearing) ** ‘000 HHa/Yr Breakdown of change – all tenures Overall change – all tenures Net loss = 4392 HHa/yr* +/- 20% uncertainty Estimation of components of gains and losses in native vegetation quality Hatching indicates figures based on broad assumptions rather than specific data Data based on: First Approximation Report, DSE 2008 Biodiversity framework

Challenges for strategic planning –What is the objective? –How is biodiversity measured across the Landscape? –What is the role of Government in setting outcomes and picking-winners? –How can policy-makers assist in these trade-offs and bring biodiversity to front-of-line?

Recent developments in Victoria How are we responding to the challenges? Efficient resource allocation Markets (BushTender, BushBroker) Property Rights (Legislative reform) MER and Economic-Ecosystem Accounts Building our science capacity and modelling capability Arthur Rylah Institute NaturePrint and NVIM

Recent developments in Victoria How are we responding to the challenges? Regulatory Melbourne Strategy Assessment Native Vegetation Regulation Reform Investment Victorian Environmental Partnerships Program Landcare LBP Advisory Group Communities Supporting partnerships to share impacts and benefits Information up-front to invest, avoid, minimise and offset

11 Regulatory reforms - MSA Strategic Assessment under the Commonwealth EPBC Act 1999 Large geographic scale (UGB), rather than site by site assessments. Targets, actions and recovery of efficient costs. Incentivises better regulatory practice Actions involve the creation of conservation reserves and the payment of offset fees Meets Commonwealth and State requirements

Regulatory reforms - MSA MSA, BCS and sub-regional species strategies: 15,000 ha grassland reserve and 1200 ha grassy woodland reserve in Program report 36 conservation reserves within the UGB (approx ha) 1600 ha (approx.) of new reserves to be found outside UGB across rural Victoria = In future no further reserves required inside UGB = All conservation measures funded through cost- recovery and recouped through development process

Extent of the Melbourne Strategic Assessment 13

Regulatory reforms - NV Four priority reforms: –Clarify the objective of the native vegetation permitted clearing regulations –Improve how biodiversity value is measured and defined –Incorporate risk and proportionality in decision making –Ensure offsets provide appropriate compensation to the environment. Five supporting reforms: –Clarify roles and responsibilities of state and local government –Better regulatory performance –Improve offset market functionality –New approaches to compliance and enforcement –Continuous improvement.

Regulatory Reforms - NV

Regulatory reforms - NV Risk-based pathway

Regulatory reforms - NV

Regulatory reforms – key lessons Outcome-based performance standards for biodiversity Up-front information, certainty and substitutability supports efficient resource allocation decisions Better community acceptance when clear about importance and are proportionate Reduces community costs (direct and opportunity) 18

Biodiversity investment Victorian Environmental Partnerships Program (VEPP) $16m for native vegetation and threatened species ( ) A new approach to environmental investment and ecosystem accounting. spatial data-sets consistent across all interventions and catchments maximise return-on-investment monitoring and reporting

Biodiversity investment Landcare –Total program investment of $7.4m ( ). –Program supports 780 Landcare groups, 67 Landcare networks, and approx. 60,000 members and 45,000 additional volunteers across Victoria. Volunteer contribution is significant, cost- effective and important for communities

Economic-ecosystem accounting National Accounts, Census Land Accounts Ecosystem Accounts Basic Spatial Units, Parcels, Statistical Areas Assets, Ecosystems, Bioregions, Catchments, etc. Households, Businesses, Sectors, Jurisdictions, Government bodies, etc. Demonstrating change

Future directions for Victoria Environmental Partnerships EPBC Act accreditation LBP Advisory Group as a model for a collaborative approach to targeting threatened species priorities and management Threatened Species Roadmap Economic-ecosystem accounting Risk based environmental regulation