Reflecting on a Rewarding Year and Looking Forward to the Future

2021 has been another challenging but rewarding year. We have continued operations through another pandemic year, and the region endured the additional challenge of Tropical Cyclone Seroja. Many communities across the region are still recovering from Seroja.

Despite, and in some cases because of, additional challenges posed by these events, collaboration across the region has stepped up another notch in 2021.

At NACC NRM, our Beyond Reasonable Drought partnership with grower groups continues to support farmers across the region to improve the environmental sustainability of their agricultural production and drought resilience. We also kicked off a new project with the Mid West Development Commission to support the Shires of Chapman Valley and Northampton and the City of Greater Geraldton to develop a Regional Drought Resilience Plan. This project is also funded by the Federal Government’s Future Drought Fund, with support from WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

We are also very excited that the Midwest Aboriginal Ranger Program, in partnership with Western Mulga, Kwelena Mambakort Aboriginal Corporation and the WA Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, will continue through to 2028 thanks to funding and support from the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), Indigenous Advancement Strategy.

At a property scale, we have been working with Birdlife Midwest, Birdlife Australia, and Australian Black Cockatoo Specialists Specialists to partner with Murchison House Station leaseholders and collect new data about breeding and movement patterns of Carnaby’s Cockatoos in the northern part of our region. This work is yielding some fascinating data and we’re looking forward to sharing more on that soon. Stay tuned.

All of these achievements come from a tremendous amount of hard work both across the passionate team of NACC NRM staff and partner organisations and some very dedicated volunteers. I would like to thank all of you who have supported NACC NRM throughout 2021.

Looking ahead to 2022, we have exciting new collaborations and projects in the planning phase to deliver outcomes against the new NARvis.  If you have not had a look yet, please do and check back regularly on our ‘footprint map’ as we upload past NRM projects and achievements from across the region.

We are also beginning to plan for ‘beyond Regional Land Partnerships (RLP)’. We don’t know what might replace RLP yet, but we believe it is crucial to start planning early and your involvement in NARvis has given us a head start to identify how the Commonwealth Governments priorities may be delivered at the regional level. Please get in touch with us if you’d like to talk about partnership opportunities.

For those who keep a watchful eye on all things NRM, you will know that interest in carbon has exploded over the last 12-18 months, with natural capital accounting nipping closely at its heels. We are continuing to watch policy developments in this space at both the state and federal level, so that we can support farmers and small groups to participate in these new market opportunities as they emerge. Please get in touch if you have specific questions on these topics and we will do our best to help find the answers.

Finally, I would like to publicly acknowledge the NACC NRM team’s efforts. The team has continued to deliver above and beyond for the region in 2021, and I am incredibly grateful to work with you all. Thank you for living our values every day and for your continued hard work and dedication.

Now, it is time for a well-earned break. The NACC NRM office will be closed between 24 December and 4 January (inclusive). I wish you all a safe and merry end of year celebration.

Katherine Allen – CEO

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CEO’s Report

In 2020-21 I talked about ‘raising the bar’. In 2021-22 we worked on setting the bar on fire. Over the last 12 months, the team at NACC NRM has not stopped.

The Sustainable Agriculture team has extended the program’s reach through collaborations with grower groups in the regions. Specifically, the Beyond Reasonable Drought project and Grower Group Alliance – South West WA Drought Innovation Hub – Geraldton Node project. The Beyond Reasonable Drought partnership with grower groups supported farmers across the region to improve the environmental sustainability of their agricultural production and drought resilience. The outcomes of this project have been consolidated through our successful Expression of Interest to the South West WA Drought Innovation Hub, with support from grower groups across the region, to host the Geraldton Node of the Hub. The program continues to focus on working with agricultural networks to share technical expertise and provide opportunities that will improve land management practices in agriculture across the region.

The conservation outcomes of ranger teams have expanded through work on several land tenures. Maintaining Heritage sites such as Willi Gulli, Racecourse Paddock and Buller River has long been a priority. During 2021-22, the teams have increasingly focused on threatened species and ecosystems.

To this end, Western Mulga rangers have improved management across 19,000 ha for the conservation of Malleefowl through firebreak and access management. They completed the maintenance of water holes and supported the monitoring of over 90 Malleefowl mounds.

Similarly, the Kwelena Mambakort Aboriginal Corporate ranger team have contributed positively to Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo populations by installing artificial hollows and habitat restoration.

All ranger teams have collected native seed, propagated native plants for restoration, and planted native vegetation in key locations across the NAR. Seed collection provides valuable industry experience and has facilitated the planting of over 100,000 seedlings during the year.   

In September 2021, the NACC NRM team delivered the WA Threatened Species Forum, held in tandem with the National Malleefowl Forum. Given the impact of COVID and the timing of this event, having more than 100 delegates from all over Australia was a significant achievement. The two Forums brought together 12 events over five days and featured 14 local artists, 25 businesses and 36 youth participants.

Following the successful relaunch of our updated NARvis, NACC NRM was invited to help lead a significant piece of strategic planning work for the region with Mid West Development Commission and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. With funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, the consortia delivered a Regional Drought Resilience Plan covering the shires of Northampton and Chapman Valley and the City of Greater Geraldton, along with significant technical analysis of drought vulnerability for the South West land division. The development of this plan also included extensive community consultation to ensure that local knowledge and technical advice guided the development of priorities for action.

This planning work links to existing NACC NRM on-ground projects, including Beyond Reasonable Drought and the Chapman Catchment Collaborative regeneration project.

It was a busy year for events with face-to-face events becoming commonplace again. During 2021-22 we hosted events in Gingin, Moora, Dalwallinu, Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Walkaway, Nabawa, Perenjori, Kalannie and Morawa. We supported events in Karakin, Thundellara, Perenjori, Paynes Find, Wubin, Cataby, Warradarge, Northampton, Yuna, Dalwallinu and Dandaragan.

We also supported on-ground works throughout the region, including at the following locations Yuna, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Merkanooka, Goodlands, Kalannie, Bunjil, Yardarino, Canna, Kondut, Latham, Kadathinni, Nabawa, Red Gully, Sandy Gully, Waddy Forrest, Devils Creek, Perenjori, Bowgada, Ellendale, Wandana, Namban, Hill River, Warradarge, Gillingarra, Regans Ford and Moonyanooka.

Our region is vast – slightly larger than Tasmania, which for comparison, is serviced by three separate NRM organisations. Covering the NAR region and its many environmental threats is challenging. We continue to focus on partnerships and collaboration to address this challenge. We know that by working with our community through passionate delivery of collaborative on-ground projects and education, the community will value and actively protect our region’s natural capital.

This year we have launched a new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP Working Group consulted widely and developed an Innovate RAP which Reconciliation Australia approved in March 2022. The activities to fulfil these commitments are now in full swing.

Sadly, at the end of 2021, we farewelled former NACC NRM CEO Shelley Spriggs, who lost a long battle with cancer. Shelley was an inaugural inductee to the NRM Leadership Honour Roll. I will always be grateful for her guidance and no-nonsense approach, not to mention her passion for life.

While we have said farewell to some, we have welcomed many new faces across all programs, including our Administration team. We have also hosted a school-based trainee from Nagle Catholic College who has been working towards a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. This trial position has been very successful, and we look forward to making this opportunity available again in 2023.

During 2022 we have taken on new projects that align with our organisational and program objectives, and we have successfully completed some great initiatives that support continued conservation and sustainability outcomes. I want to thank the whole team who continue to go above and beyond for the organisation and each other proving their ongoing commitment to our purpose and our values.