The Council conducted a self assessment, review and planning workshop in the morning, followed by a normal business meeting in the afternoon. At the invitation of the Council, Mr Drew English, Chair, ACT and Region Catchment and Landcare Association and Mr Mike Schultz representing the Australian Government also attended the review workshop to provide key stakeholder feedback about the Council’s performance during 2008.

The Council used the “Governance Standard and Assessment Framework for Australian Natural Resource Management; Pathways to Good Practice in Regional NRM Governance” as a tool for their self assessment and review. The workshop successfully identified areas in which the Council is performing well and areas which require further development.The Council acknowledged the contribution of members and support staff in its achievements to date.

Council recognised that much had been achieved in the past twelve months, including significant progress with Indigenous engagement, the release of the draft ACT NRM Plan – “Bush Capital Legacy: iconic city, iconic natural assets” and success in attracting contestable Caring for our Country funding to the ACT. The Council identified a number of key objectives for 2009, including working towards an environmental planning framework for ACT; building on existing relationships with ACT and regional NRM partners and working towards broadening the funding base for local NRM investment.

At the Council’s general business meeting, the Council received an update on the audit and acquittal of Natural Heritage Trust and National Action for Salinity and Water Quality projects and the reporting to Commonwealth on progress with current Caring for our Country projects.

Council welcomed the announcement of the Caring for our Country regional allocations for the next four years, noting that the $1.359m each year for the Territory was slightly above that allocated in 2008-09 and that this funding, combined with the ACT Government’s complementary funding of $1.418m over the next three years, gave the Council the opportunity to recommend to Government positive steps to address national and ACT NRM priorities.

Council agreed to the continuing development of proposals for the Caring for our Country contestable round.The projects will focus on Box-Gum Woodland landscape recovery and Indigenous engagement.

Council continued to consider comments provided on its Draft ACT NRM Plan with a view to finalising the Plan by April 2009. A summary of all comments arising from the consultation process, together with the Council’s response will be placed on the Council website www.actnrmcouncil.org.au

The Council also considered its response to an invitation to comment on a discussion paper reviewing the ACT’s Nature Conservation Act, prepared by the Department of Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water.The Council is also preparing a response to the Department of Territory and Municipal Services’ Tidbinbilla Discussion Paper.

The next Council meeting will be on 7 April 2009.