Getting involved in the NRS - Local Government
Local councils are emerging as important new partners helping build the National Reserve System.
Most local councils manage a network of reserves and open space for community purposes. Many of these places have high conservation value, with valuable bushland, rivers, creeks and wetlands providing habitat for threatened plants and animals. Often these areas need only additional protection measures to be worthy additions to the National Reserve System.
Where once councils may have regarded land management as a matter of maintaining sporting fields and recreation areas, or implementing planning and development regulations, they are increasingly seeing conservation as part of their core business. With rising public concern over climate change, water resources and development, local councils have responded by developing skills in managing the natural resources their communities rely on.
Many councils are partners with regional natural resource management bodies, and power and water utilities. These partnerships, allied to their legal responsibilities for local planning and development, mean councils are ideally placed to establish and manage new protected areas.
But above all, local government has perhaps the greatest capacity of all spheres of government to engage local communities in on-ground conservation activity. They offer the prospect of innovative approaches to the management and protection of conservation properties.
The Australian Government is seeking to work with local government to secure new protected areas, particularly on the outskirts of our towns and cities.
Since 1997, with more than $6 million from the Australian Government, local councils have added 14 protected areas, covering more than 1000 hectares.
Measure |
Value |
|---|---|
Australian Government funds |
$6,736,471 |
Local council funds |
$13,543,551 |
Area (hectares) |
1,076 |
Properties (no.) |
15 |
National Reserve System Program - Expenditure between 1997 and 31 January 2008 - Local Councils
State |
Council |
|---|---|
NSW |
Gosford City Council |
SA |
Adelaide Hills Council |
SA |
Alexandrina Council |
SA |
Barossa District Council |
QLD |
Caboolture Shire Council |
QLD |
Caloundra City Council |
QLD |
Noosa Shire Council |
TAS |
Hobart City Council |
Funding local government agencies
The Australian Government, through the NRS Program, provides up to two dollars for every dollar invested by a local council to add new property to the National Reserve System.
Funds are available for land purchase or for establishing a protected area over existing land.
If you are purchasing land, funds may be applied towards the purchase price, to establish a management plan, to defray legal costs, or for help in establishing the protected area by undertaking essential activities such as boundary realignment or fencing.
If your municipality already owns a property with significant conservation value, NRS Program funding can be applied towards establishing it as a protected area through gazetting the property or entering into a nature conservation covenant agreement. We also have funds for the cost of management planning and urgent threat abatement work.
Ongoing management costs are the responsibility of the local government agency.
You will need to enter into a contract with the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts involving an on-going commitment to manage the property and report on management outcomes.
You will retain ownership of the land, and will need to agree to manage it according to international standards in conservation management.
The NRS Program encourages councils to engage their communities as part of their ongoing conservation management for their properties.
We strongly encourage all first-time applicants to contact us to discuss their proposal.
Contacts
Read about criteria and how to apply for funding.