Communique No. 6/2011
Meeting no.:
34
Date:
6 Dec 2011 Key issues:
November 2011 Caring for our Country ACT projects site tour
Presentations - Evaluation of the ACT Monitoring Manual and Conservation Planning and Research's Vegetation Mapping
Communique:
On 25 November 2011, Council members along with Council staff, joined representatives from the Australian Government and members of the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate for a tour of local Caring for our Country projects. The tour incorporated a site visit to a grass tree site being restored by the Yurung Dhaura team, Greening Australia’s revegetation site at Mt MacDonald, Greening Australia’s restoration work in Macgregor, and Greening Australia’s seed bank at Aranda.
At the Council’s final meeting for 2011 on 6 December, presentations were delivered by Mr Rainer Rehwinkel on his evaluation of the ACT Monitoring Manual: A Step-by-Step Guide to Monitoring Native Vegetation in the ACT” and by Dr Margaret Kitchin from Conservation, Planning and Research on the ACT Vegetation Mapping project.
Council was provided with an update on the development of the “Ngunnawal Plant Use” book, which is a joint project with the Council and Greening Australia, with guidance from members of the ACT Aboriginal community and assistance from the Environment and Sustainable Development and Territory and Municipal Services Directorates’ staff.
Members of the Council will be involved in the second round assessment of ACT Environment Grants. The second round of Grants closed on 2 December 2011.
The Regional Landcare Facilitator, Ms Sally McIntosh briefed Council on her recent work and proposed activities for the beginning of 2012, including her work on developing a strategy for Volunteering for the Environment in the ACT.
Council has committed to hosting a Weeds Forum in early 2012, and it is anticipated that additional forums will be developed during 2012 to facilitate discussion on relevant NRM issues in the ACT.
The National NRM Knowledge Conference has been announced and will be held in Adelaide on 16-18 April 2012. The theme for the Conference will be “There’s a lot happening in our Backyard”.
Council discussed the review of the ACT Regional Plan in the light of funding that could be sourced from the Australian Government. A review would be complementary to a number of exercises being undertaken in the ACT including vegetation mapping and connectivity studies, along with the review of the Nature Conservation Strategy.
Council expressed a vote of thanks to the NRM team staff for their commitment and support during the year. Council also thanked their partners, the ACT and Australian Governments and CLA and others for ongoing collaboration in NRM endeavours.
The next Council meeting will be held on 21 February 2012.
