Australian Government
The Australian government recently announced a new national NRM program Caring for our Country with funding totalling $2.25 Billion over 5 years. The new program succeeds Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) and National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP) programs which concluded on 1 July 2008.
Caring for our Country will invest in projects which match six national priorities:
• Australia’s national reserve system
• Biodiversity and natural icons (including weeds, feral animals and threatened species)
• Coasts and aquatic habitats
• Sustainable farm practices and Landcare
• Natural resource management in remote and northern Australia
• Community skills, knowledge and engagement
The new program will provide greater opportunity for Local, State and Australian government, regional NRM bodies and non-government organisations to access the program funds.
The Caring for our Country Business Plan 2009-10 identifies the investment focus for the second year of the initiative. A Caring for our Country business plan will be released each year to seek investment proposals for the delivery of identified targets. These will in turn lead to the achievement of the Caring for our Country outcomes that address the national priority areas.
For more information on Caring for our Country visit Australian Government Natural Resource Management.
Queensland Government
In addition, the Queensland Government commits $17.2 million to interim arrangements for continuing a regional NRM program across Queensland in 2008-09.
Reef Water Quality Protection Plan aims to improve the health of the reef ecosystems by addressing the diffuse sources of land-based pollutants, including sediments and nutrients. The plan incorporates actions, mechanisms and partnerships to halt and reverse the decline in the quality of water entering the Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
With the support of the Australian and Queensland Government, the Local Government Association of Queensland provides natural resource management training, awareness, education and network development programs. The project assists local government to effectively participate in sustainable natural resource management planning across Queensland.
NRM Programs and Organisations
LGAQ NRM Capacity Building Project
Australian Government Natural Resource Management
Burdekin Dry Tropics Board
Burnett-Mary Regional Group
Cape York
Condamine Alliance
Desert Channels Queensland Inc
Fitzroy Basin Association
Mackay Whitsunday Natural Resource Management Group
Northern Gulf Resource Management Group
Queensland Government Natural Resource Management
Queensland Murray Darling Committee
Regional Groups Collective
SEQ Catchments
Southern Gulf Catchments Inc South West NRM Inc
Terrain
Torres Strait
Torres Strait Regional Authority Land and Sea Unit
