Landscape Board communiques
Find out what our board is discussing and download your copy of the communiques. For more details, see the minutes.
Landscape Board Meeting April 2023
Highlights:
- Board members were given an update on the board's three-year Arckaringa Daisy project, which has been funded through the Australian Government's Environment Restoration Fund. The project has enabled further research, protection and management of this unique perennial shrub, known to exist only in the Arckaringa Hills.
- A comprehensive briefing was provided on the Northern Water Supply Project, which will supply desalinated water options to reduce pressure on the Great Artesian Basin. Board members heard about the project's progress, its potential opportunties and risks to the environment.
- Member for Giles Eddie Hughes and Member for Stuart Geoff Brock joined the meeting and were updated on the breadth of the board's business to ensure they are engaged with issues relevant to the State Government.
- Board members were updated on a new Landscape Priorities Fund project that will focus on the management of goats, pigs and wild dogs.
Highlights:
- The February meeting was the first for the new board. Douglas Lillecrapp is the new chair, while Flinders Ranges Council Chief Executive Officer Eric Brown has now joined the board.
- The Annual Business Plan for 2023/24 has been endorsed by the board. This occurred earlier than usual due to the Levy Equalisation Scheme, occurring as a result of the introduction of the Landscape SA Act 2019 in which boundary changes occurred and boards are required to equalise levy payments.
- A proposed Terms of Reference for the newly formed Aboriginal Engagement Network has been supported by the board and will now be considered by the network.
- Members have discussed and set the criteria for the annual Grassroots Grants round, which opened for applications on 6 March.
Highlights:
- Following public consultation, the board endorsed a proposed Landscape Levy model of a charge based on land use and applied across all council areas, to be approved by the Minister for Environment and Water.
- Members heard about the proposed introduction of the Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Act currently open for consultation.
- Discussion continued regarding the development of a policy guiding the issue of unmanaged rangelands goats.
- Board members were updated on grants awarded by the Kangaroo Partnership Program.
- Presiding member Ross Sawers, who joined the board at its inception, was farewelled by board members.
Highlights:
- Chairs from each of the seven Landscape Groups have met with the board and presented key issues from their District Action Plans.
- Members heard an informative presentation from Santos relating to the Moomba Carbon Capture and Storage Project.
- Board members heard about the Kangaroo Partnership Program grant project, which received 10 applications that were assessed during September and October.
Highlights:
- The board's 2022/23 Business Plan has been approved by Minister for Climate, Environment and Water.
- Planning is underway for the 2022 regional board meeting, to be held at Marree.
- New Landscape Group members have been endorsed by the board, giving each group a full contingent of members.
- Members of hte Native Vegetation Council joined board members to explore opportunities for furthering a partnership where the work of the two bodies does, and could connect.
Highlights:
- Board members were updated on initiatives to further partner with First Nations. A follow up meeting will be scheduled to progress ideas, projects and ways of partnering to achieve increased participation.
- The 22/23 SAAL Landscape Board Business Plan was approved by the Board and forwarded to the Minister for approval.
- The board adopted a new Large Feral Herbivore Policy that captures the feral animals impacting the rangelands that are not declared for management.
- The new Minister was updated on board business through briefings following the change in State Government.
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