In Australia the Victorian Government has just launched its Land and Biodiversity Green Paper which is supposed to be a document which will improve land management in this State. There have already been warnings that Victoria is running out of time to save many native plants and animals threatened with extinction.

Submissions on the document can be lodged until June 30 and it's worth having a good read to see what you think. Many believe that the State Government has a responsibility to protect our wildlife from a combination of habitat loss, weeds, feral animals and climate change at the same time as maintaining productive and profitable agriculture and meeting the growth requirements of an expanding population.

CSIRO figures show that nearly a third of Victoria's native animals and close to half the native plant species are threatened with extinction. Of the 90 Australian animal species already identified as at risk from climate change more than a third are in Victoria.

The Government acknowledges that 'despite the efforts of Victoria’s pioneering Landcare movement, a long history of environment protection legislation and widespread action by governments, businesses and the community, the health of our natural environment continues to decline. ' That demonstrates to us all that successive Governments, State and Federal, have been pouring money into the wrong things!

The link to the Green Paper is http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrence.nsf/LinkView/5ED8F2B42CA71DDACA25740E0010AB35554FC9C681B6CAB6CA2572C600036DB1