Glossary Activity centres defined in Melbourne 2030: Planning for sustainable growth, activity centres provide the focus for services, employment and social interaction in cities and towns within metropolitan Melbourne. They are where people shop, work, meet, relax and often live. Usually well-served by public transport, they range in size and intensity of use. Activity nodes Activity nodes are within existing coastal settlements and correlate with existing activity centres under Melbourne 2030 which provide a focus area for access to the coast, services, and social interaction within coastal settlements and coastal urban areas, and link and integrate the public and private realms within this area. Adaptive management systematic process for continually improving management policies and practices by learning from the outcomes of operational programs and incorporating new information. Aquaculture cultivation of fish, molluscs and other aquatic organisms in fresh or salt water for human use. Beach renourishment a technique used to restore an eroding or lost beach, involving placing appropriately sourced sand on the shoreline to widen the beach, for the purpose of protecting adjoining natural and man-made assets. Biofouling the undesirable settlement and growth of microorganisms, plants, algae, and animals on submerged structures, especially ships' hulls. Biofouling also occurs on the surfaces of living marine organisms. Biological diversity the variety of life forms: the different plants, animals and microorganisms, the genes they contain, and the ecosystems they form. It is usually considered at three levels: genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity. Bioregion broadscale mapping unit that capture the patterns and ecological characteristics in the landscape. Canal estate any development that requires a constructed waterway, canal or water body that is then inundated by or drains to a natural water body. Carbon sinks natural or man-made systems that absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as trees, plants and the oceans. Catchment the area of land that drains to a watercourse or estuary. Climate change changes in climate attributed to the human-induced increase in concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Climate change involves increases in temperature, sea level, and increased frequency of severe weather events such as storms. Coast (Victorian) broadly defined in this strategy to include: the sea and the seabed to the state limit three nautical miles or 5.5 km; land and inland waters in the coastal catchment. Coastal acid sulfate soils found in low-lying coastal areas these contain high concentrations of iron sulfates. Relatively harmless in their undisturbed (submerged) state, these soils produce and release large quantities of sulphuric acid when exposed to oxygen through excavation, dredging or drainage, detrimentally impacting coastal and marine environs. Coastal action plan (CAP) identifies strategic directions and objectives for use and development in a region or part of a region to facilitate recreational use and tourism, and to provide for protection and enhancement of significant features coast, including the marine environment. Coastal-dependent use uses, and associated infrastructure, which depend on the coasts' natural assets and could not take place at any other location. Coastline generally where the land meets the sea. Committee of management (CoM appointed under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 to manage reserved Crown land on behalf of the Minister. For coastal land, committees are either an agency, such as Parks Victoria, Local Government, or community volunteers appointed through an expression of interest process. Crown land public land not vested in a public authority, including land temporarily or permanently reserved under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978. Cultural heritage Qualities and attributes possessed by places and objects that have aesthetic, historic, scientific or social value for past, present or future generations. District town settlements with large and diverse populations. All essential services are provided to surrounding settlements. Variety of housing and moderate employment base. Popular visitor destinations, closer to Melbourne popular retirement destinations. Ecological vegetation class (EVC) the components of a vegetation classification system. They are groupings of vegetation communities based on floristic, structural and ecological features. Ecologically sustainable development development that improves the total quality of life, now and in the future, in a way that maintains the ecological processes on which life depends. Ecologically sustainable use the use of a species or ecosystem within the capacity of the species, ecosystem and bioregion for renewal or regeneration. Ecosystem all the organisms in a community, together with the associated physical environmental factors (living and non-living) with which they interact. Ecosystem based management An approach that seeks to manage human impacts in an ecosystem, at any scale from an ocean, to a bioregion, to a local estuary. Effluent a liquid, partially or completely treated or in its natural state, flowing from a water or sewage treatment plant. Environmental flow the water regimes needed to sustain the ecological values of aquatic ecosystems at a low level of risk. Environmental weed exotic or Australian native flora growing beyond their natural range that have, or have the potential to have, a detrimental effect on natural values. Estuary the zone where a river meets the sea, influenced by river flows and tides and characterised by a gradient from fresh to salt water. Fire regime the frequency, intensity, season and scale of fire in a given area over a period of time. Foreshore the coastal fringe; generally the land between the coastal road and the low water mark. Freehold land refer to 'private land'. Geomorphology science of the evolution of landforms and geological formations and the processes that shape them. Geosequestration (also known as carbon capture and storage) geosequestration is a technology that puts CO2 into deep, secure underground geological storage, including in deep geological structures underneath the ocean. Habitat the area occupied by an organism or group of organisms. Hamlet settlements with low, seasonal population levels, located in a singular urban zone. Generally no sewer connection or major services, and limited accommodation. High levels of holiday home ownership closer to Melbourne. Historic place site, building or group of buildings with aesthetic, historic, scientific or social value for present or future generations. Indigenous species an organism which is native to a given region or ecosystem. Infrastructure physical structures which facilitate use of the coast, such as roads, paths, piers, toilet blocks. Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) a framework that attempts to integrate planning and management in a region, such as the State of Victoria, across the land and sea interface and the private and public land interface, to treat the coastal zone (which includes the catchment) as one biophysical entity. Intertidal zone area between low and high tide which is subject to daily changes in physical and biological conditions from tide movement (also known as littoral zone). Invasive species an animal pest, weed or disease that can adversely affect indigenous species and ecosystems. Marine National Park highly protected areas reserved and managed under the National Parks Act 1975 that represent the range of marine environments in Victoria, and in which no fishing, extractive or damaging activities are allowed. Marine pest refer to 'invasive species'. Marine Sanctuary small, highly protected areas reserved and managed under the National Parks Act 1975 to protect special values, and in which no fishing, extractive or damaging activities are allowed. Municipal strategic statement a concise statement of the key strategic planning, land use and development objectives for a municipality and includes strategies and actions for achieving those objectives. Nature-based tourism tourism that relies on experiences directly related to natural attractions. Planning scheme is a legal document prepared by the local council or the Minister for Planning and approved by the Minister under the Planning and Environment Act 1987. A planning scheme sets out policy and requirements for use, development and protection of land. It consists of a written document and any maps and plans it refers to. Planning scheme overlay additional requirements to a planning zone which provide for specific development issues or policy matters. Precautionary principle It is a fundamental component of the concept of ecologically sustainable development (ESD) and has been defined in Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration (1992) United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio, 1992 (the "Rio Declaration"): Where there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation. Private land land under freehold tenure (privately owned). Public land unalienated land of the Crown (refer to Crown land) or land vested in a public authority. Recreation nodes areas located on coastal Crown land, outside of activity nodes and existing settlements which exhibit a high level of use and visitation for recreation and water-related activities. Regional centre a settlement with large, diverse population and housing base with all essential services, including education, hospitals and interchange points for public transport. Large employment bases with strong connections with surrounding settlements. Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs) determined by the Aboriginal Heritage Council with important roles and functions in managing and protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage in Victoria under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. Remnant vegetation indigenous vegetation that has not been cleared, modified or replanted. Rural district settlement with a cluster of housing on smaller rural sized lots in non-urban zones. Generally they provide no water or sewer connections and no services. Sediment insoluble material suspended in water that contains mainly particles derived from rock, soil and organic material. Settlement Reference to a settlement in this strategy can include a regional centre, district town, town, village, hamlet or rural district. Sewage household and commercial wastewater containing human or trade waste. Sewerage the system which facilitates the collection, transport, treatment and discharge of sewage. Social cohesion the degree to which participants in social systems feel committed to the system and the wellbeing of other participants. Stakeholders individual or group with a vested interest in or affected by a project or process. Stormwater rainwater that runs off streets and gutters, enters drains and waterways and is eventually discharged to the sea; in Victoria, stormwater is mostly untreated but may be filtered by traps or wetlands. Structure plans (also know as township plans and urban design frameworks) Planning tools that set out an integrated vision for the desired future development of a place, and establish a planning and management framework to guide development and land-use change in order to achieve stated environmental, social and economic objectives. Subdivision division of land into two or more parts which can be separately sold. Subsidence the sinking or lowering of the earth's surface. sustainable use The use of resources in a way and at a rate that does not lead to the long term decline of biological diversity, thereby maintaining their potential to meet the needs and aspirations of present and future generations. Town a settlement with population levels that vary in line with general services. Diversity of demography and housing. Moderate to high levels holiday home ownership. Popular retirement/lifestyle destination closer to Melbourne. Basic medical facilities. Strong employment relationship with larger settlements nearby. Traditional owners people who, through membership in a descent group or clan, have responsibility for caring for particular Country. A Traditional Owner is authorised to speak for Country and its heritage as a senior Traditional Owner, an Elder or, in more recent times, as a registered native title claimant. Urban growth boundary a management tool used to contain urban areas and limit their expansion. It divides land that is urban - to be used for housing, shops, factories - from land that is non-urban and to be used for purposes such as conservation, agriculture, mineral extraction, airports and the like. An urban growth boundary encourages urban consolidation and protects valued non-urban areas from urban development. Village a settlement with moderate population levels and seasonal fluctuations. Access to basic services. Sewer connections vary. Moderate to high levels of holiday home ownership in settlements closer to Melbourne or regional centres. Wetland areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres.

10 December 2008