​Coffs Harbour’s biodiversity is of national, state and regional significance because its unique landscape hosts a range of habitats that support a mix of tropical, subtropical and temperate species.

Council’s primary strategy to inform environmental and biodiversity policy is the Coffs Harbour Biodiversity Action Strategy 2012 – 2030 (BAS) which was adopted in August 2012, and revised in November 2015.

The objectives of the Strategy include:

• Maintaining and improving biodiversity and ecological processes by protecting, rehabilitating and managing native vegetation across the area;
• Contributing to identifying and mitigating threats to the area's biodiversity;
• Promoting landscape connections as a basis for biodiversity conservation and as a means to mitigate climate change;
• Providing targeted actions that contribute to a consistent, coordinated and prioritised approach to the recovery of ecosystems;
• Improving community awareness of biodiversity through education, landowners support and community participation;
• Recognising and incorporating cultural values into biodiversity landscape planning and encouraging ongoing Aboriginal engagement; and
• Working cooperatively to meet the priority actions and outcomes of regional, state and federal biodiversity targets.