Landscape Board communiques
Find out what our board is discussing and download your copy of the communiques. For more details, see the minutes.
Highlights:
- The new SA Arid Lands Landscape Board office has been officially opened.
- Landholders in the Gawler Ranges have highlighted the presence of feral deer on pastoral properties and in the Gawler Ranges National Park.
- The board committed to doubling the next round of Grassroots Grants to offer $200K to support recovery efforts following heavy rains.
- The Kangaroo Partnership project is progressing well, with a stakeholder workshop planned for April.
Highlights:
- A cleansing and cultural smoking ceremony was performed by Nukunu Elder Lindsay Thomas at the board's new office in the former Port Augusta court house.
- The Board met with Sevenseas Creative principals and their team member Georgina Shirley, the new Kangaroo Partnership Coordinator.
- The Inaugural Landscape SA Excellence Award was presented to Quorn Community Landcare Group for its Reviving Biodiversity in the Ranges project.
Highlights:
- Members met with the chairs or their representatives of the Board's seven Landscape Groups, where they worked on setting priorities for the 2022/23 Business Plan.
- A presentation on the Building Pastoral Sustainability Project showcased outcomes and testimonials from the first 18 months of the project.
- The Board was presented with the final draft of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statement of Commitment, developed and agreed to by all SA Landscape Boards.
- Members of the Water Accounting Advisory Group were introduced, and includes Tim Flowers as the Board's representative.
Highlights:
- Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs approved the Board's inaugural Regional Landscape Plan.
- The SA Arid Lands Landscape Board met in Hawker in what was the first in an annual commitment to hold meetings in the region.
- Peak Iron Mines provided an overview of current and potential works in the region, predominantly in the Kingoonya and Gawler Ranges districts.
- Board members made a commitment to review the current and long-standing issue of feral goats in the rangelands.
- The Board endorsed a new water accounting project which will support alternative and innovative trials to measure water take in prescribed areas.
Highlights:
- The board hosted a workshop with key partners to address the issue of wild dog management in the SA Arid Lands region.
- $350,000 has been secured for the Optimising Kangaroo Management in SA project, which is to be a multi-region, multi-partner project addressing the significant threat posed by over-abundant kangaroos.
- New Landscape Group members were endorsed at the meeting, with most of the seven landscape groups now fully subscribed.
Highlights:
- The Board met with PIRSA representatives to review the current legislative and policy context for managing goats under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019.
- Members were briefed on all operating arrangements, service agreements with DEW and new structures following the final change that means the Bard is now operating as a completely autonomous entity.
- Community feedback on the Board's Landscape Plan and Business Plan was considered.
Highlights:
- The draft SA Arid Lands 5-year Regional Landscape Plan has been released for consultation.
- Following the adoption of the Far North Prescribed Wells Area Water Allocation Plan by Minister Speirs, the board was notified of next steps in the program to implement the plan.
- Pastoral Board members joined the SA Arid Lands Board at the February meeting to discuss topics of interest to both boards.
- MP Dan van Holst Pellekaan joined the meeting to exchange information relating to the board's current priorities.
Highlights:
- The Board commits to a partnership tackling biosecurity issues.
- Development of the new regional Landscape Plan is continuing.
- Wild Dog baiting takes to the skies.
Landscape Board Meeting September 2020
Highlights:
- Milestone reached as the final draft of the Water Allocation Plan for the Far North Prescribed Wells was sent to the Minister.
- Overwhelming response to the Board's Grassroots Grants program.
- New district for the SA Arid Lands with the addition of Port Augusta and Quorn to the region.
- Discussion of the Board's role in the management of Kangaroo numbers.
Highlights:
- The final draft of the Far North Prescribed Wells Area Water Allocation Plan was presented to the Board.
- Board representatives were appointed to district Landscape Groups.
- Partnerships, engagement and participation with First Nations people in the region, as well as options for future engagement opportunities were discussed.
- Members of the SA Arid Lands board were joined by members of the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board for a finance and governance induction.
Communiques of the former SA Arid Lands NRM Board are available here