Environmental risks present significant challenges and opportunities for the City. As the region grapples with evolving weather patterns and the necessity of preserving its natural landscapes, a strategic approach is essential to balance agricultural productivity with environmental conservation.

A number of key issues have been identified, including:

• Difficulty in managing and integrating heavily vegetated areas and their interface with traditional grazing agricultural practices.
• Potential conflicts between conservation priorities and agricultural development needs.
• Lack of consideration around biodiversity values throughout Greater Bendigo.

Spread of disease associated with potential outbreaks associated with intensive animal industries.

A number of opportunities have been identified, including:

• Utilise naturally vegetated areas as strategic assets for biodiversity conservation and ecological services.
• Implement community education programs regarding what types of vegetation are important for wildlife connectivity and biodiversity.
• Constrained land could be used for designated vegetation offset areas for revegetation, retaining offsets within Greater Bendigo rather than exporting offsets to other areas.
• Enhance the role of vegetated lands in maintaining ecological balance and serving as wildlife corridors.
• Work with landowners, developers and real estate agents to determine and manage the perceived value of heavily vegetated rural land.
• Consult Traditional Owners on local land management practices to improve how agricultural land is managed.
• Review heavily constrained Farming Zone (FZ) areas and consider whether it is more appropriate to have these areas within the Rural Conservation Zone rather than the FZ.

A number of potential strategies have been identified, including:

• Update planning policy to more specifically promote the conservation of vegetated areas within agricultural landscapes.
• Develop and implement incentive programs for landowners to participate in environmental conservation efforts including localised native vegetation offset areas.
• Encourage nominations of land as conservation offset sites to protect biodiversity within the Greater Bendigo, rather than external locations.