17 May 2006 - The last
piece of the environmental protection ‘jigsaw’
for regional Western Australia was put in place
today with the launch of a three-year $13.7 million
plan to manage and care for the Rangelands’ precious
natural resources.
Australian and Western Australian
Government Ministers joined with the Rangelands
Natural Resource Management Co-ordinating Group
in Carnarvon this morning to celebrate the regional
strategy and multimillion dollar joint investment
plan.
The sheer size of the Rangelands
makes today’s launch particularly significant.
Covering almost 2 million square kilometres, this
region represents 90 per cent of the State’s landmass
and more than 75 per cent of the coastline.
Australian Ministers for the
Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell,
and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Peter
McGauran, said the community had worked long and
hard on its shared vision.
“Today the Rangelands joins
the Swan, South West, South Coast, Avon and Northern
Agricultural regions in a ‘whole of catchment’
approach to the land and sea,” Senator Campbell
said.
“And today we also reach a remarkable
milestone: for the first time we have integrated
natural resource management planning right across
the State. The last piece of the puzzle is in
place.
“We’re talking about an incredibly
diverse part of Australia. Though sparsely populated,
the Rangelands hosts thriving horticultural, mining
and tourism industries. Pastoral leases cover
98 million hectares, stretching from the Kimberley
to the Great Australian Bight.
“The region understands how
important this pastoralism is and has allocated
more than $1 million for activities on ecologically
sustainable management.”
Senator Campbell said the Rangelands
also featured two World Heritage-listed areas,
conservation reserves, many native animals and
plants and some of the last wild rivers in the
country.
“So you can see why it’s crucial
to get a good balance of environmental protection
and economic viability. And that’s exactly what
the community has achieved,” he said.
Western Australian Agriculture
Minister, Kim Chance, said the Ord sub-region
had already received major support from the jointly-funded
National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality
programme.
“Water quality issues often
cross regional and state boundaries, and the Ord
district is shared with the Northern Territory
for this reason,” Mr Chance said.
“A trial of different irrigation
systems will help landholders manage on-farm water
use to reduce pollutants in drainage water. This
is good news for business and the environment.
“Salinity will be tackled with
practical, large-scale demonstration sites to
give landholders a good idea of practices that
can decrease groundwater levels. Ultimately this
will help the community develop a longterm approach
for salinity in the Ord.”
Western Australian Minister
for the Environment, Mark McGowan, said coastal
and marine protection was also high on the agenda.
“Many people come to this part of the world to
experience the stark beauty of the Kimberley,
the rich marine life of Shark Bay and a magnificent
coastline,” Mr McGowan said.
“We want to continue to enjoy
them in the future, so we must look after them
now. Funded activities range from a survey of
human impacts to support for local governments
on sustainable coastal planning.
“This region is also home to
some of our last wilderness areas and many places
of special significance to Aboriginal communities.
Indigenous groups will be closely involved in
work to conserve these places.”
The Ministers congratulated
the Rangelands NRM Co-ordinating Group on its
commitment to a united plan, which has involved
pastoralists and irrigators, Traditional Owners,
environment groups, tourist operators and state
agencies.
A summary of funded programmes is attached.
