CEO Blog – An Update From the Office

Since January 2020, Australia – and indeed the world – has endured rapid and unprecedented change.

We are very fortunate here at NACC NRM to have strong support from the community and our stakeholders and also strong internal commitment to our purpose and values which have allowed us to continue achieving our on-ground and community engagement outcomes.

Organisations across Australia have adapted throughout this period and in WA we are very lucky to now be looking towards economic recovery. I am very encouraged by the McGowan Government’s recent ‘Green Jobs Plan’ announcements which look to achieve outcomes both for our environment as well as the economy.

In May 2020 we shared a collective proposal signed by more than 70 conservation organisations from across Australia which has been submitted to the Australian Government. Decisions regarding federal stimulus measures are being made now – in the lead up to the Federal budget due in October. We urge anyone who supports further conservation and land management focused economic stimulus to use the template letter which can be found here, to contact your local member of federal parliament urgently to voice your support.

While we wait in anticipation for those announcements, NACC NRM has some exciting announcements of our own to share.

Since January, our Coastal team have been wearing out their pencils and keyboards writing funding applications. Recently we received the great news that two of these applications have been successful. We would like to thank Mid West Ports Authority and Coastwest for their contributions to these projects (Coronation Beach Clean-up event and; a series of webinars and forums which will engage the education sector and also facilitate engagement between small groups and local land managers respectively). Stay tuned into our networks for more information as these projects get underway.

We have also recently received approval to commence the series of activities which make up our Core Business Investment project which is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program. We are extremely grateful to the groups from across the NAR who contributed to our consultation process at short notice, to help develop the suite of activities which was very positively received by the State NRM program assessment team. Now we are very excited to be able to announce some of the activities which we will be delivering with this funding over the next two years.

Stay tuned for more detailed information on these activities over the coming weeks or contact phoebe.royce@nacc.com.au to register your interest in any of these activities specifically.

Hopefully last week you all caught the ABC News article about the Environment Restoration Fund project which NACC NRM is party to and will work to increase and enhance Carnaby Cockatoo habitat. This cross-regional project is being delivered in concert with other regional NRM groups in WA including Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, South West Catchments Council, South Coast NRM and Wheatbelt NRM all of whom will deliver their projects in partnership with Birdlife WA.

While it is great to see so many projects being approved and getting underway, we all know that there is still more to be done and you can have an impact. Though many of the issues facing our natural environment are BIG, there are lots of small changes you can make that will add up.

Check out ‘Fight for Planet A’ a three-part documentary series on ABC iView for more information and tips.

Hoping everyone has had a great August and like me, are looking forward to Spring!

Warm regards,

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.