Threatened species, threatened ecological communities and demonstrating sustainability in agriculture the focus for Perth NRM’s federally funded projects
25th October, 2018
Perth NRM is excited to announce three new environmental and agricultural projects that will be delivered in partnership with local natural resource management groups across Perth.
The projects have been funded by the Australian Government’s Regional Land Partnerships program. The Hon David Littleproud MP, Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, and the Hon Melissa Price MP, Minister for the Environment recently announced the successful recipients of the $450 million program, which is the second phase of the Coalition Government’s $1 billion National Landcare Program.
The Black-flanked Rock-wallaby, Woylie, Chuditch, Western Ringtail Possum and Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo will all be targeted for assistance, through the ‘Back from the Brink Project’. Work will focus on managing populations and habitat on a local scale within the Swan Region to improve the distribution of these priority species. Project work will include activities such as nest box installation, seed collection, fauna surveys and feral animal control across a variety of sites such as the Avon Valley National Park, Paruna and Karakamia sanctuaries and Darling Range.
A second project, ‘Improving the condition of Threatened Ecological Communities in the Swan NRM region’, will work with community groups to protect and improve the condition of Banksia Woodlands, Clay Pans, Shrublands and Woodlands of the Eastern Swan Coastal Plain and Coastal Saltmarsh to name a few.
Site works will occur across a variety of bushland reserves in Perth including Lake Wannamal/Mogumber Nature Reserve, Paganoni Swamp Nature Reserve, Forrestdale Lake Nature Reserve, Bullsbrook Nature Reserve and Greater Brixton Street Wetlands.
Partnering with Perth NRM on these projects are a number of community organisations, directly involved in the care and rehabilitation of local land. Partnership groups include, the Ellen Brockman Integrated Catchment Group, the South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare, the World-Wide Fund for Nature, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, the City of Swan, and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. These community partnerships will ensure local knowledge and engagement in the delivery of activities for the projects.
Perth NRM’s Sustainable Agriculture team will develop and trial a single-audit multi-certification tool for the agricultural industry under the new project ‘Food Future agenda: sustainability indicator platform’. This tool will allow growers to demonstrate their sustainability credentials and provide consumers with traceability back down the supply chain, so that they can make more informed purchasing decisions.
“We will provide farmers with an opportunity to harness the purchasing power of consumers by identifying and responding to changing market signals” explains Paul Bodlovich, Perth NRM’s Chief Executive Officer.
Perth NRM have also engaged Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitators (RALF) to support urban and peri-urban food producers in the region, engaging with and facilitating partnerships between food producers, industry, and grower and community groups that can contribute to a more sustainable food future for Perth. This is a key role within the Core Services Agreement that confirms Perth NRM as the preferred supplier in the Swan Region to the Australian Government under the five-year Regional Land Partnerships program.
The Regional Land Partnerships program follows the conclusion of the National Landcare Program Phase 1, which Perth NRM successfully completed in June 2018, and sees a shift from traditional grant funding to a fee-for-service model.
“Perth NRM has a proven history of delivering successful environmental and agricultural partnership programs as demonstrated by our National Landcare Program phase one projects, delivered on-time and on-budget”, said Mariyon Slany, Perth NRM’s Chairperson.
“We work with a number of community, industry and corporate organisations in the field of natural resource management on existing projects like the Swan Alcoa Landcare Program, RegenWA and the Swan Canning River Recovery project and we look forward to sharing the achievements of this upcoming work over the next five years.”
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About the National Landcare Program
With its investment in the next phase of the National Landcare Program, the Australian Government aims to work in partnership with governments, industry, communities and individuals to protect and conserve Australia’s water, soil, plants, animals and ecosystems, as well as support the productive and sustainable use of these valuable resources.
About Perth NRM
Perth NRM is a non-profit sustainability organisation with a focus on the environment, both within our agriculture sector and as a growing city. Our aim is to protect and enhance our natural assets, sustainable agriculture and sustainable living. Perth NRM develops and manages projects and events as well as building support through collaborative networks of stakeholders and community. We are part of a statewide network of NRM organisations managing funded programs at a regional level as part of the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.