Keeping Ballarat country beautiful for generations to come

While the City of Ballarat's Biodiversity Strategy could seem like just another document, in its pages are the past, present and future of the vast country in Ballarat's stewardship.

The Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation was key in the development of this strategy, currently in its draft form.

Wadawurrung woman Kelly Ann Blake and Gunditjmara man Chase Aghan have worked with the council on the draft - they agree it's important to work together on this strategy.

"Our ancestors have been looking after country for thousands of years and biodiversity doesn't stop - it's caring for country and that will continue for eternity," Mr Aghan said.

He said people needed to be "walking together" to protect the country.

"This is everyone's country, everyone walks on this country," Mr Aghan said.

"They have an obligation to care for country and we're not caring for country for ourselves but for the next generation and generations to come."

Ms Blake said it's important to "love where you live".

"If you respect nature, country and everything in it, you'll feel better, live better lives, be healthier because what's reflected around you is actually how you're going to feel inside," she said.

Ms Blake said she wanted a world where nature still exists for future generations.

"We need to be mindful around how we develop housing and places for people to live and just be mindful we have animals and plants that need to live alongside us as well," she said.

"We need to have a more balanced approach."

Ms Blake said people aren't taking their country for granted anymore.

"Things are changing at a rapid pace," she said.

"It's forcing us to look for deeply to look at things like a tree we grew up around will still be there when I'm older and want my grandchildren to see."

The subhead for the strategy is 'Healing Country Together'.

Ms Blake said to her it meant keeping country healthy or repairing it where it may be damaged from mining or mismanagement.

"People are really walking with more open hearts and minds when it comes to biodiversity and want to go on this journey with us to heal country," she said.

Mr Aghan said country was made up of so much - language, plant life, animals - and it all needed to work holistically - "you can't just focus on the trees without thinking about its water source," he said.

Ballarat mayor Des Hudson said healing country was about being more mindful.

Cr Hudson said different parts of the community, like Wadawurrung First Nations groups, Landcare groups and community groups like Friends of Canadian Corridor, have voiced concerns over Ballarat's landscapes.

"These groups have continuously been talking about the importance of biodiversity in areas to make sure we keep the country feel and natural habitat, which can be eroded if you're just focusing on development and housing," he said.

Cr Hudson said healing country was about "resetting values" and not forgetting while Ballarat has development and a city centre it's surrounded by diversity.

"Within those areas the nature, flora and fauna we are custodians to is something we should be really passionate about caring for it as we forward together," he said.

"Biodiversity is the very lifeblood of the area we are living in."

Cr Hudson said the community can take ownership of Ballarat's natural country by using their voice through the biodiversity community consultation.

"We're seeing almost a moment in time that people are investing more in going back to nature," he said.

Read over the draft Biodiversity Strategy at the council's MySay page and provide feedback on the 38 page document.

Feedback closes on Tuesday, April 30.