Environment

Parramatta City Council protects the natural environment and maintains the built environment through its Environment Program. The objectives are to:

• conserve and protect the natural systems and resources within the City
• minimise human impacts and pressures on the natural environment
• provide waste and street cleaning services to ensure the health and safety of the City and maintain its appearance.

The Environment Program had a budget of $14.6 million in 2005-06, of which 7% was for protecting the natural environment and 93% for waste and cleaning services.

Protecting natural bushland

At 90 hectares, Lake Parramatta the largest Council-managed reserve in the LGA. Other significant pockets of natural bushland include Moxham and Cox parks and the Curtin, Subiaco, Vineyard Creek, Duck River Bushland and Galaringi reserves. Parramatta Park is separately managed by Parramatta Park Trust.

Improving water quality

Council allocates an annual budget of $1.357 million to restore and protect waterways and surrounding bushland. Two masterplans guide Council’s work: the Waterways Rehabilitation Masterplan and Quarry Branch Creek Rehabilitation Masterplan.

Other waterways initiatives include:

• litter booms on Duck River and the Ponds, Greystanes and Darling Mills creeks
• protection and restoration of saltmarshes along the Parramatta River, that have been declared an Endangered Ecological Community
• construction of fish ladders at the Charles and Marsden St weirs on Parramatta River, to allow fish to move up river as part of their natural breeding cycle.

Managing domestic waste

Council collects domestic waste, recyclables and green waste. A new area-based kerbside collection has been trialled, for unwanted household items.

State of the Environment 2006/07 Supplementary Report

"Parramatta City Council has prepared the State of the Environment (SoE) 2006/07 Supplementary Report.

The SoE summarises the major environmental pressures that face the Parramatta LGA and provides an explanation of the state of the eight environmental sectors including Land, Water, Biodiversity, Noise, Waste, Air (covering the Atmosphere and Global Warming), Aboriginal Heritage and Non-Aboriginal Heritage.

Within the SoE, Council explains in detail how the organisation responded to identified pressures facing the City by preparing environmental plans, targeted strategies and monitoring of performance trends. Our key environmental achievements are also included in the 2006/07 SoE."