Avon - Natural Resource Management region
Regional summary
Avon Catchment Council is the regional body for the Avon natural resource management region which covers an area of about 117,700 sq km. Almost 63 percent of the region has been released for agriculture and associated land uses. Principal land uses include annual dryland crops and grazing. Native vegetation in the region is recognised internationally for its species richness and the fact that much of it occurs only within the region. Over 6 percent of the region is reserved for nature conservation purposes and there are over 50,000 remnants of native vegetation on private land, mostly less than 20 hectares in size. Main towns include Northam, Merredin and York and the region has a population of over 41,000. Avon Catchment Council is the regional body.
Extensive clearing of natural vegetation for agriculture has caused broad degradation problems. However, the region continues to maintain profitable farm enterprises and contributes 34 percent ($1467 million) of the state's gross value of agricultural production, particularly through wheat exports.
Most surface and groundwater is unsuitable for domestic or farm use due to high salinity levels.
Priority issues
Priority issues for natural resource management in the Avon region centre on water, land and biodiversity resources. They include:
- managing the increasing salinity, high sediment loads and nutrient enrichment threats to water resources
- dryland salinity which currently threatens more than five percent of agricultural land and is forecast to increase to more than 28 percent
- soil acidity, which threatens more than half the agricultural land
- biosecurity - weeds, disease and feral animals are impacting on agricultural production and the environment
- maintaining the existing natural diversity of the region including the remnant vegetation and threatened plants and animals
The Avon region has a history of strong community groups involved and committed to natural resource management, including 37 land conservation district committees and more than 170 catchment groups.
Regional plan
The Avon Catchment Council, in consultation with the local community, has developed the Avon regional plan to address these issues based on a whole-of-region approach incorporating social, environmental and economic aspects. Both the Australian and Western Australian Government Ministers have accredited the plan.
- Avon plan - accredited April 2005
Current activities
Current activities addressing the priorities include
- increasing land manager knowledge of best management practice for sustainable agriculture
- development of town water management plans for priority rural towns affected by salinity and rising groundwater tables
- promoting the protection, establishment and management of riparian vegetation by fencing and associated weed management, and providing resources for community planting days
- implementation of River Recovery Plans
- implementing recovery actions for threatened species and ecological communities
- establishing a local native seed supply for revegetation activities in the region
- community consultation and involvement to protect eucalypt woodlands on private land in the region, including negotiating a range of conservation covenants, voluntary management agreements and land acquisitions
Contacts
Further information can be obtained by contacting the Regional Facilitators for Western Australia.
Region summaries
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You can also use your town name to find your NRM Region.
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