SOUTH EAST NSW

Resilience Blueprint

Pillars

Summary

The health of the landscapes and environments in which we live, work and visit underpin all aspects of resilience. Ensuring the health of Country is pivotal to ensuring the longevity of the unique natural wonders, threatened and endangered ecosystems of South East NSW.

Theme 1: Sustainable land and water management

How we manage land, water and waterways in a sustainable manner contributes enormously to the natural processes and functions of the landscape which supports agricultural production as well as the ecosystems and biodiversity upon which life depends.

Innovative approaches to sustainably maximise land use productivity are deployed, having regard to broader landscape needs and vulnerabilities. There is a natural connection between healthy Country and its protection in its own right, and our ability to produce food to sustain communities as part of a stable economy

Theme 2: Care for healthy Country

The protection of natural systems ensures the intrinsic values of Country are respected and understood. All parts of the system are connected and interdependent. First Nations people must have a greater place in decisions and data collection regarding County and contemporary environmental challenges.

Restoring the health of Country is an enduring pursuit.

Theme 3: Climate change innovation

Across the region there is a strong awareness of climate change and its impact on the environment, natural systems, functions and processes. Innovation that is focused on the enhancing the health of environmental values can be achieved through combinations of Indigenous knowledge and western science.

Now that our voices are starting to be heard, should we not also be given a formal role of some sort in the decision-making processes within local government, especially anything to do with place and Country?
– First Nations resident

EXAMPLE APPROACHES FROM ACROSS THE REGION

The ‘Landscape Recovery through Regional Connectivity’ project is a partnership between South East Local Land Services and nine Landcare groups to support the recovery of native species and ecological communities through investment in social capital across bushfire affected areas in the region.

Cultural burning on Yuin Country by Firesticks Alliance and Local Land Services which has deployed Indigenous fire methodologies which focus on reading the landscape and listening to Country.

The ‘Working Together to Support Sustainable / Regenerative Farmers Expo’ is a concepted facilitated by the Community Voice for Hume and is an example of locally-driven approaches that explore the role and benefits of sustainable and regenerative agriculture in building soil carbon, improving soil hydration and sequestration, and food security.

The ‘Zero SE’ is a citizens alliance dedicated to reducing carbon emissions to zero in South East NSW, using evidence-based research around opportunities to reach emissions targets whilst creating local jobs and supporting a healthy environment into the future

EXAMPLE APPROACHES FROM ACROSS THE REGION

The ‘Landscape Recovery through Regional Connectivity’ project is a partnership between South East Local Land Services and nine Landcare groups to support the recovery of native species and ecological communities through investment in social capital across bushfire affected areas in the region.

Cultural burning on Yuin Country by Firesticks Alliance and Local Land Services which has deployed Indigenous fire methodologies which focus on reading the landscape and listening to Country.

The ‘Working Together to Support Sustainable / Regenerative Farmers Expo’ is a concepted facilitated by the Community Voice for Hume and is an example of locally-driven approaches that explore the role and benefits of sustainable and regenerative agriculture in building soil carbon, improving soil hydration and sequestration, and food security.

The ‘Zero SE’ is a citizens alliance dedicated to reducing carbon emissions to zero in South East NSW, using evidence-based research around opportunities to reach emissions targets whilst creating local jobs and supporting a healthy environment into the future.

Tools for Support

For people and communities, businesses, service agencies and organisations:

• 7-day ensemble streamflow forecasts for water management available from BoM
• Enabling Adaptation in the South East (EASE) report prepared by AdaptNSW
• South East Landcare
• Drought Knowledge Centre available from BoM
• Drought Resilience Self-Assessment Tool available from the Commonwealth Government
• Climate Services for Agriculture available from the Commonwealth Government

For governments:

• National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy 2021-2025 prepared by the Commonwealth
Government
• NSW Climate Change Adaptation Strategy prepared by AdaptNSW
• NSW Climate Data Portal available from the NSW Government
• Coastal Management Toolkit available from the NSW Government
• NSW Water Strategy and regional water strategies available from the NSW Government
• Natural resource management plans prepared by Local Land Services
• Sustainable Land Management Practices for Graziers: Best management practices for grazing in
the Tablelands and southern Highlands of NSW prepared by Department of Primary Industries
• Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) datasets
• Transitional Native Vegetation Regulatory Map available from the NSW Government
• Biodiversity Indicator Program for NSW available from the NSW Government
• NSW BioNet available from the NSW Government

Sustainable Land & Water Management

SYSTEM PRIORITIES

We invest in sustainable practices
We contribute to biodiversity health
We contribute to effective biosecurity outcomes

STRATEGIES

Businesses, community groups, service agencies, organisations and governments:

• Communities of practice are supported through participation
• Regenerative agricultural practices are advanced
• Groundcover management processes are implemented
• Nutrient run off into waterways is mitigated
• Riparian buffers are enhanced for wildlife refuge corridors and water quality purposes
• Fish screens in agricultural landscapes are installed to protect native aquatic species and support
sustainable water management
• On-farm flood and drought management plans are developed and enacted
• The region’s food security is protected
• Travelling stock routes continue to provide important biodiversity refuge and support stock
movement, including during emergencies
• Weed, pest and disease outbreak is avoided, mitigated or managed through effective biosecurity
plans and measures
• Avoid fragmentation of agricultural lands, incompatible development and urban encroachment
of farm land particularly during drought
• Pre-plan for temporary waste needs to respond to disaster

INDICATOR METRICS

• Number of environmental and sustainability programs in schools
• Groundcover and topsoil retention
• Number of reported biosecurity concerns
• Extent of scouring and bank erosion
• Performance against regional water plans

Resilience Resource Directory

Resilience is big space. Here is our directory with links to a number of local, state, federal, and international organisations and resources to help assist you on your journey to building resilience.

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Acknowledgement of Country

We stand on Country that always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and waters, and we show our respect for Elders past and present. We are committed to providing places in which Aboriginal people are included socially, culturally and economically through thoughtful and collaborative approaches to our work.

Resources

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