During 2009/2010 NRM South is undertaking a range of programs and activities. These are outlined below.
NRM South is undertaking a review of the May 2005 Strategy and developing a new Strategy for Natural Resource Management in the Southern Region 2010-2015. The review and redevelopment process is outlined on the Strategy page. Publications associated with this process include an Environmental Scan Discussion Paper and an Overview of Achievements. Copies of the strategy and all strategy review documents can be found on the Southern Tasmanian Regional Strategy page.
NRM South will work with other community based organisations to coordinate support for local groups. This project will provide a focal point for coordinating community events and will provide targeted information to groups. Specific activities include the coordination of a region-wide NRM events calendar, subject specific forums and identifying training and information needs.
This is NRM South’s sub-regional delivery model that provides local coordination to meet particular local targets. It protects and enhances natural values through working in close partnership with local government in the delivery of natural resource management projects and in actively involving the community in managing the local environment. NRM South has identified five priority areas for investment under the program. See the Healthy Catchments & Coasts page for more information on this sub-regional program.
This project will analyse existing NRM related information in a sub-regional area and engage with key stakeholders to develop innovative information communication methods, tools and products. The project focus in 09/10 is the Huon priority area.
Many landholders in the Southern Region are not farmers and derive very little of their income from their land and yet they collectively manage a significant land area. This project segments landholders by land-use characteristics and social and demographic information in order to better target NRM delivery. Tailored information products and capacity development designed specifically for block owning landholders will be delivered in 09/10. This pilot project will focus initially on the Mountain to Marine Priority area (Hobart and Kingborough).
This project will focus on soil health and engage with larger landholders in the region. The project will deliver soil health focused seminar/s and trial a variety of ‘new’ techniques on southern region soils. The results of trials will be communicated widely across the region. This project will engage landholders across the region with a focus on the Midlands.
NRM South will mobilise resources to support the regional land use planning projects of the Tasmanian Planning Commission and the Southern Tasmanian Councils Authority (STCA).
NRM South will work with NRM practitioners region wide building on the ‘We work for NRM’ advertising campaign to translate Community Awareness into Individual action among the broader public through the promotion and support of community groups, individuals and organisations caring for our natural resources and other NRM activities being undertaken across the region.
NRM South is supporting two pasture-cropping trials and three information sessions in partnership with the Southern Midlands Council and TIAR. The use of the pasture cropping technique in most other states of Australia has delivered environment, economic and social benefits to farmers and their land. The technique involves sowing cereal crops directly into live perennial pastures (native and introduced), and grows a cereal crop with the added advantage of grazing. The technique builds soil carbon and soil biodiversity, and reduces the need for external inputs including fuel, fertiliser, seed, labour and chemical inputs. The project will bring Colin Seis (the technique developer) to Tasmania to help setup trials in the Southern Midlands and Derwent Valley, and provide information sessions to farmers and industry representatives.
NRM South is working with the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment to monitor soil health in the Southern Region. This project will provide an early-warning system to identify effects and trends of key land uses on long-term soil condition. Measurements of soil condition began in 2003 and have continued through to 2008, the results provide a baseline dataset against which future soil condition will be assessed. The total number of SCEAM project sites sampled in the Southern NRM region is approximately 97. The SCEAM project team selected sites that represented major soil types and key land uses across the region. The information gained from the sites will assist farmers, industry groups, and planners to make better-informed land management decisions, which maintain/improve soil condition. The first round of the SCEAM project in 2004-05 established 35 sites in the Southern region, which are the sites that this project will be re-sampling.
The soil condition-monitoring program will allow to understand impacts and rates of change in order so they can avoid irreversible degradation because degraded land is difficult, expensive or impossible to repair.
The project will collect the following data:
Outputs will include a report for individual participating farmers together with a summary report for the Region detailing the measured trends in soil condition since establishment and two field days promoting the project results.
This project will be collecting pasture condition information from seven native pasture-monitoring (since 2001) sites in the Southern NRM region. The last monitoring observations carried out in spring 2008 showed that native plant cover had declined to varying extents on most of these sites, associated with a sustained dry period from 2006 to 2008. This project will provide observations in the autumn of 2010 to determine the extent to which these pastures have recovered following the high rainfall received in the spring of 2009.
Results from the monitoring observations on each site will be provided to each grazier involved in the project, and on-going review of site management will be completed. Two field days / workshops will run in the Tasman/East Coast and Bothwell/Central Highlands areas, and newsletter and media articles, are planned to extend information from the project to a wider audience. The results of the project will be published in a scientific journal article targeted at rangeland scientists, and natural resource managers and agencies.
NRM South will continue its strong support for the implementation of the Southern Tasmanian Weeds Strategy in 2009/10. This project supports the employment of a program manager based at the Southern Tasmanian Councils Authority (STCA), coordination of action through the Southern Tasmanian Weeds Strategy, and support for on ground projects. A review of the Southern Tasmanian Weeds Strategy is planned which will look to enhancing and updating the strategy. This strategy document is available for download on the Southern Tasmanian Regional Strategy page.
NRM South has worked with the Derwent Estuary Program, local government and the building industry to improve soil and water management on construction sites. This project was aimed at reducing sediment loads entering urban waterways. The project involved workshops, seminars and the provision of best practice information, tools and sediment filtration products. Some final actions are currently underway to complete this project.
NRM South and Hydro Tasmania have developed a field hygiene manual to reduce the spread of four key freshwater pests and diseases that are spread by human activity. Phytophthora root rot, Chytrid frog disease, platypus mucor disease and Didymo algal pest are all spread by people wading through water, carrying mud, soil, debris, seeds and water on boots, equipment and vehicle tyres. Moving soil and gravel between sites and road construction and maintenance are also common ways they are spread to new areas. Although Didymo has not yet been found in Tasmania there is also a high risk that it may be introduced from overseas in fishing and other freshwater recreational equipment. The project also incorporates the development of education material for recreational water users (e.g. fishers and kayakers) and training to encourage the key agencies involved in water monitoring and management to adopt these best practice hygiene procedures. The publication will be released in 2010 and the project completed.
The Tasmanian River Condition Index (TRCI) was developed by NRM South in collaboration with stakeholders statewide and a team of 22 national and local experts. TRCI is a new, innovative scientific method to assess the biophysical condition of Tasmania’s diverse river systems. It examines four components of a river system: aquatic life, hydrology, physical form and streamside zone, comparing current condition to a pre-European reference. It will enable benchmarks to be developed to measure change in condition over time and to assess the impacts of developments on river systems. NRM South is finalising communication of TRCI among key water monitoring organisations and consultancies. NRM South will pursue opportunities to implement TRCI in the future in our Healthy Catchments and Coasts Program.
Building on lessons learned through the Huon/Kingborough BioLinks project, Expanding BioLinks has begun the process of further developing biodiversity conservation/ecosystem linkage methodologies for application at a regional scale. The project has three components:
NRM South is working with DPIPWE to determine whether conservation planning/ecosystems linkage methodologies that are currently in development can be used for prioritisation and planning at a regional scale.
NRM South will undertake communications activities to support project outcomes and to coordinate and report on NRM within the region. Communications will also raise awareness of emerging NRM issues. NRM South will do this through our website, newsletters and forums.
