Community Feedback on Draft Phillip Island (Millowl) Wildlife Plan Welcomed
Feedback from the community on the development of the Phillip Island (Millowl) Wildlife Plan has been welcomed by the Steering Committee guiding the plan’s development following the public consultation phase of the draft Plan.
Approximately 200 people participated in the consultation process between November 2020 and 17 January this year. The consultation included participation in an online survey, online consultation sessions and an opportunity to provide individual submissions on the draft Plan. An estimated 30,000 people viewed information about the Plan and consultation process via the Engage Victoria website, social and print media.
The Phillip Island (Millowl) Wildlife Plan aims to bring all stakeholders and the community together to create a place-based approach to managing wildlife on Phillip Island. It aims to balance conservation, agriculture, cultural use, road safety, public health and tourism needs with those of Phillip Island’s wildlife.
The Steering Committee including representatives from Phillip Island Nature Parks, Bass Coast Shire Council, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and local landholders oversaw the draft Plan’s development in 2020.
They also worked closely with the Traditional Owners, Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, and key stakeholders and organisations including the local farming community, wildlife carers and tourism operators.
Steering Committee Chair and Phillip Island Nature Parks Chief Executive Catherine Basterfield thanked everyone who contributed to the consultation.
“Community ownership of the final Plan and involvement in wildlife conservation and management is critical to the Plan’s success,’’ Ms Basterfield said.
Ms Basterfield said the feedback gathered through the public consultation was very valuable and will be used to review and revise the draft Plan. The final Plan is expected to be completed in June 2021.
Steering Committee member and DELWP’s Statewide Wildlife Programs manager Vural Yazgin said the development of the draft plan has been a collaborative effort and involved key agencies, groups and the community.
“We will continue to use our existing communication channels (e.g. emails to stakeholders, Engage Victoria web page, social and local media) to keep the community informed about any key project updates”, Mr Yazgin said.
The successful eradication of foxes on Phillip Island in conjunction with increased habitat, revegetation and improved pastures has contributed to the strong recovery of wildlife populations. Several native species have increased in number and now pose challenges to local conservation work, biodiversity, infrastructure and agricultural practices on the Island.
Ms Basterfield said the community would continue to be updated on the progress of the Plan.
You can read both the summary and full consultation reports on the Engage Victoria website and also keep updated on the progress of the plan’s development here.
Contact the project team: swp@delwp.vic.gov.au
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