Ecological Sustainability

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Ecological Sustainability
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A Region Rich In Natural Resources
The Hunter, Central and Lower North Coast
region a unique and diverse 37,000 square
kilometres of the east coast of NSW. Major
waterways are the Manning, Karuah and Hunter
rivers and the coastal waterways of Wallis Lake,
Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie, Tuggerah Lakes and
Brisbane Waters. The regions landscapes
estuarine lakes and mangroves, coastal sands and
rich alluvial floodplains to rural hinterland,
forests and the dissected sandstone of the Great
Dividing Range. Home to nearly one million
people
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A Rich Diverse Economy

• Aluminium production
• Over 632,000 tonnes pa (34 of Australias
  annual production
• Electricity Generation
• Approximately 80 of NSW total production
  annually
• Coal Mining
• 121 million tonnes raw coal extracted from 34
  mines in 2003-2004 (83 of NSW total)
• Wine Production
• Over 273m in sales annually
• Equine Industry
• Value of horses on studs 720m - 1.4b

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A Great Place To Live
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Challenges To Environmental Sustainability

• Degradation of the riparian zones
• Water supply crisis in some parts of the
  catchment
• Degradation, loss and fragmentation of native
  vegetation cover and of terrestrial, riverine,
  estuarine and wetland habitat and biodiversity
• High levels of induced salinity

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Challenges

• Soil degradation
• Declining soil health
• Blue-green algae blooms
• Water quality supply
• Acid drainage from exposed acid sulfate soils
• Air quality

Before
After
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Climate change a storm in a teacup?

• Data from an Antarctic ice core stretching
  through layers dating back 800,000 years reveals
  that in the past, it has taken 1000 years for
  carbon dioxide to rise by 30 ppm during natural
  warming periods the same level of increase has
  occurred in the past 17 years.
• Eric Wolff, British Antarctic Survey6
  September Press Association
• The debate over the science of global climate
  change is over, according to Shell Oil Co
  president in the United States John Hofmeister.
  "It's a waste of time to debate it," he said.
  "Policy-makers have a responsibility to address
  it. The nation needs a public policy. We'll
  adjust.7 September Associated Press

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• Modelling of coastal responses to sea level rise
  from various NSW locations indicate the potential
  for tens of metres of beach erosion over the next
  century, potential for erosion in excess of 100
  metres during severe storm events
• CSIRO 2006
• The speed of climate change in Australia had
  caught scientists by surprise, leading water
  expert Professor Peter Cullen, from the National
  Water Commission, said "I don't think any of us
  expected the climate change we have experienced
  over the last five years. I was expecting climate
  change but I was expecting it to take 30 years,"
  he said.4 September News

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H C C R E M S
Currently14 member councils Conceived
1993 Regional strategy developed
1995 Implementation commenced 1996 Core
funded Attract 2-3m in external grants
annually Currently 9 full time staff
ecologists, botanists, NRM managers, GIS expertise
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• Mechanism for delivering
• Major project work
• Regional environmental outcomes
• Knowledge/skills transfer between Councils
• Capacity Building initiatives
• Effective working partnerships with key
  organisations
• Voice in regional planning and NRM forums
• Significant funding and resources
• Products and services to member councils

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The Players

• Federal State Agencies
• Councils
• NGOs and community group networks
• Hunter Central Rivers CMA
• Educational Institutions
• Other Institutions..
• Residents

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Policy Planning Tools
Innovations in Environmental Management
Mapping Data
Rural Residential Development Toolkit
Facilitating Networks
Mapping Data Collection
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Climate Change Research
Biodiversity Conservation
Roadside Environmental Management
Weeds Management
Water Sensitive Urban Design
Capacity Building
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Devising a pattern of landscape use and
management to achieve the best biodiversity
outcomes while helping to facilitate sustainable
regional development.
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30 LH CC cleared 55 vegetation
communities identified 89 of clearing has
occurred in just 20 communities 21 communities
potentially meet criteria for EEC
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On-ground WorksManaging a Salvinia control
program along 110kms of Wollombi Brook
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Urban Water Cycle Management
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• Water is captured in expensive, large scale dams
  delivered to consumers via lengthy pipe
  networks.
• Pipe networks are expensive to build maintain
  and result in adverse environmental impacts.
• Replacement value of urban water infrastructure
  isi estimated at over 50 billion.
• Around 1 of pure drinking water delivered to
  homes is actually drunk.
• Rainwater falling on roofs is considered to be a
  problem .Stormwater is discharged rapidly
  carrying pollutants, whilst similar volumes of
  water from river systems under stress is imported
  into cities.

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• Ensuring that important water cycle
  considerations are addressed at the earliest
  stages in the urban development process.
• Identifying trialling more environmentally
  responsive approaches to neighbourhood planning,
  subdivision design, site planning and building
  design and their implementation.
• Embedding these approaches into a range of
  everyday planning documents such as subdivision
  housing codes to ensure community compliance.

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A Sense of Place
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A Sense of Place
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A Sense of Place
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Environmental Services
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Environmental Services
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Economic Production
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Economic Production
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Issues Impediments to ecological sustainability

• Paradigm shift
• Capacity
• Embracing catchment perspective and whole system
  planning.
• Competing planning development objectives
• Cumulative impacts
• Public vs private benefit.
• Accurate assessment of triple bottom line.

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Change Management

• From ridicule to acceptance
• Engagement
• Champions coalitions
• Creating political will
• Understanding organisational context
• Communicating effectively
• Developing skills and resources
• Performance management

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