THE City of Greater Bendigo has called for community feedback on three strategies it wants to implement, as it lays the foundations for a better future.
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The first document examines the relationship between the often maligned Bendigo Creek and the community, and looks at ways in which the creek can play a greater role in our lives.
Another plan looks at how to support a better food system in the decade ahead - something we should consider important considering our city's recently achieved status as a City of Gastronomy.
Thirdly, we are called to look at plans for Bendigo's first urban forest strategy.
It might surprise readers to know that until now, the self-professed City in the Forest has not had such one specific strategy that backs this claim, but has instead developed a raft of others that support it.
But as the environmental significance and benefits of further greening the landscape only grow in importance, this plan will assume far greater status in the years to come.
For the record, the three plans are Reimagining Bendigo Creek, the Food System Draft Strategy and Greening Greater Bendigo, which will be on public display during February and early March.
Dare we remind readers that it's always easy to be a critic after the fact, and if you want your views to be considered as these plans progress towards their eventual adoption and implementation, this is the opportunity to do so.
Community input has a role to play in strengthening government policy at every level. Always.
Grappling with the environmental sensitivities of wanting our city to retain as much greenery as possible with the need to also ensure the risks of bushfires around our urban fringe are mitigated is not easily achieved.
The value of appropriate species of trees in helping cool our streets and reduce the impacts of the heat bank that is the built environment we exist in cannot be overstated.
But we need to do more to help ourselves.
And it all goes to show, it's not always easy being green.