Inaugural Eyre Peninsula Landscape board members appointed

Whitfield, in leading a back-to-basics approach on managing natural resources in the region.

The new board members all live locally and provide a diverse range of skills and expertise.

The six new board members include:

• Brian Foster - Brian is a fourth-generation farmer, on a farm at Coulta that has been in his family since 1871. He has had extensive experience at local, state and national levels, in Local Government, Catchment Water Management, Natural Resource Management and Climate Change areas. He was appointed to the Eyre Peninsula Catchment Management Board in 2000, and Presiding Member of the Eyre Peninsula Natural Resource Management Board in 2004. He was an elected member of the District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula for 14 years, including serving as chairman and deputy. Brian’s commitment to climate change adaptation has included serving on the Premiers Climate Change Council for two terms as well as winning the NCCARF (National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility) National Climate Champion Individual award in June 2013. He has also been involved in Bushfire recovery and jointly chaired the EP Drought taskforce. 
• Debbie May – Debbie, along with her husband, has been farming in the Elliston district for more than 30 years and are founding members of the Elliston and Districts Landcare Group (1989). The group has delivered extensive Landcare projects including regeneration, revegetation, wind and water erosion control as well as administering large initiatives protecting and conserving the important remnant Sheoak grassy woodlands of the region. Debbie is an elected member of the District Council of Elliston, and has served on a range of community organisations, including being the Chairperson and Manager of the Elliston Community and Visitor Centre.
• Dr Steven Milner – Steve is a resident of Denial Bay, near Ceduna and is passionate about researching caves, palaeontology, and anthropology of the Nullarbor. He has a PhD and MBA from the University of Adelaide and is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Project Management. Steve lectures on Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement at the University of Adelaide and has supported organisations across several sectors and industries in the development, delivery and capture of knowledge from their major projects and programs. Steve is passionate about the natural environment of the Eyre Peninsula and Far West and has broad networks. 
• Justine Major – Justine runs a mixed farming enterprise with her husband approximately 20km north-west of Kimba. As a farmer, Justine acknowledges that care and management of the landscape are an essential element of farming businesses. In addition to farming, Justine has extensive experience in the finance and business service sector and is a Certified Practicing Accountant, with qualifications in financial planning and business, as well as holding a Master of Sustainable Agriculture and business.
• Tony Irvine – Tony currently lives in Port Lincoln. He has extensive experience in the local government sector having been the Chief Executive Officer at the District Councils of Ceduna and Tumby Bay and his most recent role as Executive Officer to the Eyre Peninsula Local Government Association. Tony has had an extensive history working in partnership with various Natural Resources Management organisations on Eyre Peninsula and understands the importance of a strong relationship with local government. Tony is strongly committed to the Eyre Peninsula community as demonstrated by his involvement in many community and sporting organisations including currently being chair of the Eyre Peninsula Football and Netball Council.
• Meagan Turner - Meagan is an Owner and Director of Turners Oyster farm in Cowell, as well as a Dietitian. Meagan is a member of the South Australian Oyster Growers Association and has strong ties with all oyster growers, government and the seafood industry more generally. She is strongly committed to the management of the coast and marine environment and a genuine interest in her fellow community member’s livelihoods and wellbeing.

Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs said the new Landscape boards will be partnering with community groups, local government and industry to ensure our state’s regional landscapes and farming industries are thriving, resilient and sustainable.

“The Marshall Liberal Government promised a stronger, back-to-basics system with an emphasis on effective water management, pest plant and animal control and soil and land management,” said Minister Speirs.

“The successful passing of Landscape South Australia Act 2019 means we can get on with delivering this and the creation of new landscape regions are crucial to giving local communities a greater say in natural resources management and in particular how levies are spent.”

Member for Flinders Peter Treloar welcomed the new Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board members.

“I would like to congratulate the new board members on their appointment. It’s great to see that there is good representation from around the region, as well some really unique experience and knowledge” said Mr Treloar.

“The new Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board will help deliver our government’s back-to-basics approach to natural resources management in South Australia.”

Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board Chair Mark Whitfield said he was excited to work with the new board members. “We were extremely happy with the range and calibre of applications that we received from the community, which made the selection process more challenging than ever. I would like to thank all of those that applied, and congratulate the successful applicants,” said Mr. Whitfield.

“With the knowledge and skills that these new board members bring with them, I think we are well placed to provide the leadership needed to manage our regional landscape, which we will do in close collaboration with our many partners.”

The Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board is one of nine new regional landscape boards, which from 1 July will administer the new Landscape South Australia Act 2019, including a new metropolitan landscape board, Green Adelaide.

Initially all board members will be appointed by the Minister, but from 2022 three out of seven members will be elected by the community (except for the specialist board Green Adelaide and the Alinytjara Wiluṟara board, which is already represented by select regional leaders).

To ensure a smooth transition for regional communities, NRM services will continue to be delivered under the Natural Resources Management Act 2004 until the new Act 2019 is fully operational on 1 July 2020.

To access existing NRM services, visit https://www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ep/home For more information visit www.landscape.sa.gov.au