The Nature Conservation Trust is one of several partner organisations working with the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water to implement the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative. The initiative aims to strengthen the resilience of eastern Australia's mountainous ecosystems so they can better respond to the impacts and threats from:
- climate change
- development activities, including ongoing growth in our population
- invasion by introduced pests and weeds.
Five pilot programs have commenced as part of the initiative. The Nature Conservation Trust is directly involved in two of these pilot areas - the Slopes to Summit and the Border Ranges.
The five areas are united in achieving common goals:
- Connectivity conservation - A connected New South Wales conservation corridor contributing to healthy ecosystems and healthy people
- Communicating with the community - An aware, supportive and active New South Wales community
- People working together - People working effectively together for healthy NSW environments
- Effective administration - An effectively administered New South Wales Great Eastern Ranges Initiative that achieves financial sustainability
- Applying knowledge and skills - Applying the knowledge and skills of people wisely for the benefit of conservation in New South Wales
For more information on the program visit the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative website.
SLOPES TO SUMMIT
The Nature Conservation Trust is one of several partners working with the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water to establish landscape connectivity between the western slopes near Albury and Kosciuszko National Park. The Nature Conservation Trust has a partnership facilitator role for this project. An integral component of this position is to develop and maintain community and landholder engagement with the project.
The aim of this program is to improve land management issues in areas of high conservation value, enabling the species that call these areas home to continue to thrive as climate and environmental changes occur.
For more information, visit the Slopes to Summit program website.
BORDER RANGES
The Nature Conservation Trust has been engaged to facilitate a regional partnership for the Border Ranges to achieve the outcomes of the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative. We are currently engaging with regional groups, including community, land care, Government and non-Government organisations, to develop partnerships to achieve these goals.
The initiative is also working to implement the landscape Biodiversity Management Plan for the Border Ranges.
KOSCIUSZKO TO COAST
The Kosciuszko to Coast is also a pilot area of the Great Eastern Range Initiative. This area has been established to help landowners reconnect with grassland and woodland areas between Kosciuszko and Namadgi National Parks and the far South Coast coastal forests.
As part of this program, the Nature Conservation Trust purchased two grasslands properties - Bunhybee Grasslands and the Parlour Grasslands - to allow supportive new landowners to purchase the properties and ensure the conservation assets are protected forever.
For more information, visit the Kosciuszko to Coast program website.
