The health of natural systems – soils, water, biodiversity and landscapes - is an integrated measure of human impacts on the environment. The health of these natural systems, tell us how well we are balancing what we humans take from the environment, against the capacity of the environment to continue to provide this natural capital.

Paradoxically, the health of our natural systems is increasingly reliant on human capital.  This reliance includes the knowledge that underpins sustainable management of natural systems; and the effort of individuals, communities, governments and business in looking after the environment.

The 2007 ACT State of the Environment Report found that while the state of the ACT environment is generally good, we continue to face challenges such as improving land and water quality, maintaining and improving environmental flows of rivers, reducing the rate of biodiversity loss and reducing the ACT’s ecological footprint.

The Bush Capital Legacy – iconic city, iconic natural assets provides a road map for prioritising and addressing these challenges. Like our natural systems – it is integrative - it draws together all the threads – community, biodiversity, land and water into a comprehensive long-term plan for managing and improving the Territory’s natural resources.

I acknowledge the work of the ACT Natural Resource Management Council in consulting extensively with the ACT community in preparing this Plan.   I understand that the Council views the Plan as a stimulus to debate and as a contribution to policy setting in natural resource management in the Territory. 

The Bush Capital Legacy proposes 16 intermediate and long-term targets for repairing and maintaining the landscape of the ACT.  I will be particularly interested in progress to reduce the Territory’s ecological footprint, as well as improving the condition of our catchments, rivers and wetlands.

These targets challenge us all to work hard towards their achievement in how we live our lives, how we work and through the many decisions that government, business, land managers and the community make.

I commend the ACT Natural Resource Management Council for the extensive work it has done in bringing Bush Capital Legacy to publication. It will be a valuable contribution to direction setting for natural resource management in the ACT.

Simon Corbell
Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water