Kingston City Council is committed to protecting and enhancing its biodiversity assets in the face of climate change and urban pressures. Following its declaration of a climate and ecological emergency in 2020, the Council has identified the need for a holistic Biodiversity Strategy that assesses biodiversity values across both public and private land while engaging the community in conservation efforts.

EcoFutures has supported the development of this strategy using a landscape-scale approach that considers biodiversity across different land use types, recognising their unique threats, challenges, and opportunities. Given that much of Kingston’s biodiversity exists on private land or land managed by other agencies, the strategy focused on collaborative conservation actions that align with the interests of landholders, government agencies, and the broader community.

This project has provided Kingston City Council with a long-term vision for biodiversity management, including current data assessments, key indicators for tracking biodiversity changes, and practical conservation actions. Through strong community and stakeholder engagement, the strategy served as an evidence-based, public-facing document, guiding planning schemes, environmental policies, and on-ground conservation efforts well into the future.