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Thursday, 22 July, 2021
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Offset endorsed By Danielle Kutchel The City of Casey has endorsed a move to establish Blind Bight Nature Reserve as a native vegetation offset site. The move could make for better environmental and economic outcomes for the municipality. At their meeting on Tuesday 20 July, Casey’s administrators endorsed the council officer’s report which identified the Blind Bight Nature Reserve as “suitable for the generation of state and federal offset credits”. An offset site provides extra revenue for the municipality by providing compensation for activities that negatively impact on vegetation, like the clearing of native plants and trees to make way for development. When vegetation is removed, it ‘costs’ the local biodiversity. Those seeking to remove vegetation must get a permit to do so, and identify a site to offset the biodiversity cost. The impact on biodiversity is then balanced as the offset site is managed and maintained in its native state. Offset credits are traded on the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning’s Native Vegetation Credit Register. The City of Casey currently has 13 established offset sites. There are a number of ongoing maintenance activities at these sites, including pest control, biodiversity planting and fire mitigation. According to the officer’s report, “each offset site must be actively managed for a period of 10 years and then maintained to the minimum standard as outlined in the contract agreement in perpetuity”, therefore maintaining the level of biodiversity within Casey. “Because of the uniqueness of the Blind Bight area, the conservation status, the heritage and conservation protections in the area, this is something I think will provide long-term protection and benefit to the community and to the municipality and the region as a whole,”
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The area’s significance as habitat for the southern brown bandicoot would attract extra offset credits, and therefore, income. Seconding the motion, administrator Miguel Belmar said it was “unavoidable” that native vegetation would be removed in the
high-growth area of Casey, but added the offset plan would ensure Casey’s commitment to maintaining the Blind Bight Nature Reserve. The officer’s report described the Blind Bight offset plan as “a modernised conservation, planning and investment approach”.
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administrator Cameron Boardman said in moving the motion to endorse the report. He said the establishment of Blind Bight as an offset site could generate approximately $2.7 million in additional revenue for the City of Casey.
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Blind Bight Nature Reserve will be established as a native vegetation offset site.