Biodiversity – A significant attraction of the Perth Region, both to early European settlers (and even to international tourists to South West WA today) is not only the dramatic central setting of the Swan River winding around the elevated Kings Park, but the regional diversity of vegetation, wetlands and unique wildlife. In the early rush to establish and then to rapidly expand permanent settlements with a ‘slash, clear and burn’ pioneering ethic to make way for it, large areas of that ecological diversity were lost and can never be replaced. Surprisingly that behaviour remains to this day and has not been moderated as at it should have been by wiser Planning (however substantial and sophisticated that System may appear to be).

Our younger generations are becoming more educated about-the need to recognise that the essence of long term sustainability of humanity is inextricably interwoven with how we co-exist and interact with the natural world. Many citizens in our older generations regrettably (often the senior decision-makers) are still relatively ignorant on that subject.  Yet, despite the incredible feats of man-made technology, all have to admit that we have still not discovered, let alone equalled the incredible sophistication and diversity of wild-life evolved over millennia – without the contribution of man. As we work on our own evolution, it is still a surprise to some, that almost daily; many of our new biological and technological advances are arising from actually studying the detailed workings of naturally evolved wild-life. How stupid then would we be to ignore and thoughtlessly obliterate indiscriminately that which surrounds us – yet we still do this to supposedly produce an ‘improved’ living environment for ourselves.