Birds, bugs and bees the big winners from new biodiversity resource

A new framework to welcome more nature into our backyards, balconies, rooftops and footpaths has been released, to celebrate Biodiversity Day 2024.

Australian research has shown that increasing the volume of native understorey by 10-30 per cent can result in a 30-120 per cent increase in species such as native birds, beetles and bugs.

That means greener, healthier, happier communities for all species.

The Biodiversity in Place Framework, developed by the NSW Government Architect (GANSW), provides a practical guide to bring nature back into our cities, towns and suburbs.

The framework has been developed for industry and community groups to use on new developments and when existing developments are being updated.

How we plan and what we plant on our verges, backyards, balconies, public spaces, rooftops as well as in the land around critical infrastructure, such as our roads, railways and creek corridors, can make a big difference in the health of local environment.

We have seen councils and community groups doing some great work designing and supporting a more resilient and sustainable future. This framework will further inform this work.

For more information on the framework, visit Biodiversity in Place.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“As cities evolve, so too does their urban fabric. We have seen cities across the world carefully and successfully balance more housing and employment activities with urban greening.

“As we collectively respond to the need for more housing and jobs, this framework will support councils and community groups to make the most of our public spaces.

“As we work to tackle other challenges in our cities and urban environments it is important to consider how we can add greenery to our suburbs.”

Government Architect NSW Abbie Galvin said:

“We acknowledge that our cities need to be greener.

“Our next step is to radically rethink the way we design and provide that green space. Our urban spaces need to work harder than ever before.

“To improve the quality of our public and private landscapes and make our cities more resilient, we need to shift our thinking from providing the relative monocultures of lawn with exotic trees to planting highly diverse ecology in rich understories.

“Biodiversity loss is one of the greatest challenges worldwide. Bringing nature back into our cities provides an opportunity to halt the decline of biodiversity and pave the way for cultivating a vibrant urban environment where people and nature thrive together.”