It is now 18 years since Australia signed the International Convention on Biodiversity and ratified a year later, and 14 years since it fulfilled one of its obligations under the convention by developing its National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia’s Biological Diversity.

At that time, scientists pointed out that the success of the National Strategy would depend on its implementation, which would rely on the co-operation of all sections of society.

The continuous decline since then in the extent and quality of native vegetation and in the numbers of fauna - as reported in the State of the Environment reports and Biodiversity Assessment audits - shows clearly that, so far, governments’ implementations of the strategy have been drastically inadequate.

For example, in spite of the strategy’s objective 1.5 to address the need for conservation of biodiversity outside protected areas, including the need for conservation in urban areas, the City of Greater Bendigo approved this year the development of an important remnant of the box-ironbark forest at Aspinall Street, and still continues to use exotic and non-indigenous native species of plants for planting within its urban area.

Both of these actions are contrary to section 1.5.2 (d) of the strategy.

My hope is that, as this important year progresses, there will be sufficient publicity and educational activity to increase public awareness about the crucial part biodiversity plays in maintaining the liveability of our planet so as to avert the current threat to its conservation.

So far, the most important event promoting this International Year of Biodiversity in Australia is the Boobook Declaration (www.boobook.org.au), written and endorsed by environmental groups across Australia. The United Nations’ information about the International Year of Biodiversity is available at www.cbd.int/2010/welcome

STANIS LAW PELCZYNSKI,

Kennington