Funded activities
Caring for our Country announced
Caring for our Country is the Government's new natural resource management program. Caring for our Country is designed as an integrated package with one clear goal, a business approach to investment, clearly articulated outcomes and priorities and improved accountability. It will commence on 1 July 2008 and will integrate delivery of the Commonwealth's existing natural resource management programs, the Natural Heritage Trust, the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality, the National Landcare Program, the Environmental Stewardship Program and the Working on Country Indigenous land and environmental program.
Through the $1.4 billion National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP) and the $1.3 billion extension to the Natural Heritage Trust (the Trust), the Australian Government and State and Territory Governments are working together to repair and conserve the natural environment and ensure the sustainable use of the nation's natural resources.
The great majority of NAP funding and around half of the Trust extension funding is being invested to pursue targets and priorities developed by regional communities and articulated in plans accredited by governments.
Through this approach, powerful new partnerships in natural resource management (NRM) are being forged between federal, state, territory and local governments, industry and communities.
As at 30 June 2005, governments have approved some $858 million of regional focused investment through these programs.
National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP) funded activities
The NAP is a joint commitment of $1.4 billion over seven years between the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments, for regional solutions to salinity and water quality problems.These funds are to support the actions of communities and land managers in regions across Australia to implement the goals of the NAP, to manage salinity and improve water quality, through comprehensive natural resource management plans and investment strategies.
For the NAP, since its commencement in 2000-01, governments have jointly approved investments totalling $531 million.
Natural Heritage Trust (the Trust)
The Australian Government established the Trust in 1997 to help restore and conserve Australia's environment and natural resources.The Australian Government committed a further $300 million, in the 2004 Federal budget, to extend the Trust to 2007-08, bringing the total of investment to $1.3 billion.
For the Trust, since its extension in 2002-03, the Australian Government has approved $327 million in investments, with state and territory governments matching this amount, largely in kind, through aligned regional programs.
Local funded activites
A total of $19.47 million was expended in 2004-05 for Envirofund community projects addressing local environmental issues, including coastal and marine, natural wetlands, rangelands and Indigenous natural heritage and conservation.
Regional funded activities
A total of $149.39 million was expended in regional projects through the Trust regional investment stream during 2004-05. Of this, $6.99 million was delivered through Foundation Funding, $23.13 million through the Priority Action Stream; $95.14 million through the Regional Investment Stream; and $19.95 million through the Regional Competitive Component.
In addition to the regional expenditure streams, $4.17 million was delivered through the National Investment Stream to statewide projects. Statewide projects are funded under the National Investment Stream and contribute to national outcomes but are managed through regional processes.
National funded activities
At the national level, a total of $117.80 million was expended in National Investment Stream projects in 2004-05.
What have the programmes delivered so far?
In nearly all regions across Australia, investments are being developed in response to their regional natural resource management plans, aimed at addressing the long-term resource condition targets identified in the plans.
With most regions having regional plans ready for implementation, investment has shifted from planning and resource assessment activities required to establish regional bodies, to implementing on ground activities to bring about resource condition change.
Significant investment was directed at issues associated with the long-term resource condition targets, with the majority of funding being directed towards land salinity, native vegetation and rivers and wetlands.
Through the NAP and the regional component of the Trust, over 340,000 hectares of agricultural land was improved through activities such as perennial pasture establishment and the application of lime to address acid soils.
Sustainable irrigation systems were established on over 19,000 hectares of land.Regions have developed nearly 3500 sub-catchment plans, nearly 6500 property management plans and close to 120 species recovery plans for threatened flora and fauna.
Revegetation and rehabilitation activities have been conducted across 300,000 hectares of land, 1.4 million hectares of land has been protected for native species, and almost 16 million hectares managed for pest plants and animals.
Further information
See the NAP and the Trust Annual Reports for further information or find a funded project using our Australian Government funded NRM project search.
Other sources of funding
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