Local government
Across Australia local governments are playing an increasingly important role in managing our natural resources. Local government has a range of functions, powers and responsibilities at its disposal for the development and implementation of relevant natural resource policies and programs within its jurisdiction.
Blue Mountains City Council delivers workshops for community volunteers and council operational
staff on swamp remediation and bush regeneration techniques to protect the endangered ecological
community Temperate Highland Peat Swamps on Sandstone.
With support from the Australian Government local government associations from Queensland and New South Wales have produced the natural resource management publications below, which can also be used by local governments around the country to support better planning for natural resource management.
Natural resource management and strategic planning
Local government corporate, strategic and operational planning directs local councils' operations for the medium term (up to four years) towards achieving the community vision. The following publications will be useful for local governments who are incorporating natural resource management with strategic planning. They provide local government with a process to identify the key local natural resource management issues, how to integrate into council plans and implement actions to address these key challenges.
- Integrating natural resource management into New South Wales local government operations volume 1: corporate planning and reporting
- Integrating natural resource management into Queensland local government corporate, strategic and operational plans
- Integrating land and sea management into Queensland Aboriginal Shire Council's corporate planning
- Guideline for integrating land and sea management for Queensland council and community planning in the Torres Strait
Natural resource management and land use planning
Natural resource management is central to good land use planning and local government planning schemes are a key vehicle for implementing planning policy. A planning scheme is a statutory mechanism that can regulate the location, form and impacts of new developments and manage those impacts on the natural environment. The following guidelines provide local government with a process to integrate natural resource management into council planning schemes.
Blue Mountains City Council delivers workshops for community volunteers and council operational staff on swamp remediation and bush regeneration techniques to protect the endangered ecological community Temperate Highland Peat Swamps on Sandstone.
- Integrating natural resource management into planning schemes - A guideline for Queensland local governments
- Integrating natural resource management into planning schemes - generic code provisions for Queensland local governments
- Implementing regional NRM targets through planning schemes: a decision support tool for South East Queensland local government planners
- Integrating natural resource management into New South Wales local government operations volume 2: land use planning
NRM operational manuals
The manuals are designed to raise the awareness of current best industry practice of the natural resources under the control and management of local government operational staff.
- Introductory natural resource management erosion and sediment control guidelines for Queensland councils
- Natural resource management manual for Queensland local government operational staff
The National Reserve System (NRS) is the cornerstone of our national efforts to protect terrestrial biodiversity. Local Government participation in the NRS program contributes to the effective development and management of the NRS. The Confluence, pictured here, was purchased by the Sunshine Coast Council with funding assistance provided through the NRS program.
Climate change
The following Australian Government guidelines provide assistance to local government to assess and respond to the likely effects of climate change. If adequately planned for, some of the effects and associated costs of climate change can be reduced.