Surrey’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy is ‘a legacy for the history books’, says Deb Jack

July 25, 2014 - Posted in 2011 thru 2015, Design With Nature to Create Liveable Communities & Protect Stream Health - an array of contextual resources, Greenspace / Human Health, Uncategorised

 

Green Initiative Expected to Impact on City’s Ecosystems for Decades

In July 2014, the CIty of Surrey has adopted a Biodiversity Conservation Strategy that is aimed at preserving green infrastructure and ecosystems in the city. The strategy recognizes the City’s biodiversity as a key foundation of a healthy, livable and sustainable community. Natural green spaces provide many benefits, such as clean air and water, to a rapidly growing city like Surrey. 

A key component in the Green Surrey program, the strategy provides a mapping inventory of environmental features, ecological assets, vegetation types, as well as a determination of specific habitat criteria including the location and characteristics of corridors, sites and hubs to maintain biodiversity. 

Quotable Quotes

“Preserving and restoring habitat is essential to the overall health and livability of our City,” said Mayor Dianne Watts. “The Biodiversity Conservation Strategy will ensure both a short and long-term vision on how best to preserve natural areas while meeting the needs of our growing City.” 

“Surrey is noted as much for its livable urban areas as it is for the vast tracts of green spaces in their natural state,” added Councillor Bruce Hayne. He is Chair of the Environmental Advisory Committee. “This new strategy will offer a clear roadmap in not only preserving Surrey’s natural environment but it will also strengthen the powers available to the City in making sure the long term vision of the plan will be met.” 

“All of the living things on the earth are interconnected,” said Deb Jack, president of Surrey Environmental Partners. She was honoured with the inaugural 2011 Green City award in the individual category. In 2012, the City recognized her contributions when they honoured her with the Good Citizen of the Year Award.

“We require a healthy, natural living environment for us as a species to do well. So in order for the future to do well in Surrey, we need to ensure that biodiversity does well. And for that you need land and all of the services that biodiversity provides us.”

To Learn More:

To download a PDF copy of the article published in the Surrey Now newspaper, click on Surrey’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy ‘a legacy for the history books’ 

The Surrey Biodiversity Conservation Strategy is a comprehensive and detailed plan that takes into account land use planning and financial objectives. To download a copy, click here.

To read a related story posted previously on the Green Infrastructure community-of-interest, click on “Green Surrey Program” adopted by Surrey City Council in May 2014.