Inaugural South Australian Arid Lands Landscape board members appointed

Posted 12 June 2020.

The new board members all live or work in the SA Arid Lands region and provide a diverse range of skills and expertise.

The six new board members include:

• Ellen Litchfield - Ms Litchfield is a pastoralist, Nuffield Scholar and veterinarian. She jointly runs Wilpoorinna Station, a large cattle property in the Marree Innamincka district, and has previously served a one-year term on the former SA Arid Lands NRM Board. Ms Litchfield has a Masters in sustainable agriculture in the SA rangelands and brings valuable research, skills, and networks to the Board supported by both grassroots and academic knowledge.

• Tim Flowers – Mr Flowers works in environmental management within the petroleum sector and brings a broad understanding of the mining and extraction industries in the SA Arid Lands region. A scientist with an extensive career in environmental management in both government and industry Mr Flowers is passionate about finding the balance between industry and environment.

• Kurt Tschirner - Mr Tschirner brings a diverse range of skills as a land manager in conservation and wildlife management. He has been a practitioner in both the non-government conservation sector and in natural resources management. He is experienced in pest plant and animal control and arid lands management, combined with business and project management skills. A resident of Quorn, Mr Tschirner oversees a conservation property with Bush Heritage Australia in the North East Pastoral district.

• Douglas Lillecrapp – Mr Lillecrapp is a pastoralist from Todmorden Station in the Marla Oodnadatta district. A highly credentialed land manager with a focus on sustainable rangeland management, Mr Lillecrapp has an innate understanding of the complex and unique land systems that make up the northern part of the SAAL region. A long history in advocacy over many years has seen Mr Lillecrapp serve on the SA Farmers Federation, serve as the inaugural chair of the Soil Conservation Board and as a former chair of the Marla Oodnadatta NRM Group. Mr Lillecrapp was also a member on the initial steering group for the 2009 Far North Prescribed Wells Area Water Allocation Plan and brings invaluable knowledge of the wells area along with an historical understanding.

• Sanchia Treloar – Ms Treloar runs a sheep pastoral business over three pastoral leases with her husband in the North East Pastoral Zone. A long time contributor to sustainable land management for both production and environmental values, Ms Treloar has served on the North East Pastoral NRM Group for a number of years where she has provided clear leadership, organisation and a willingness to serve her community. A board member for the RFDS and numerous community organisations, Ms Treloar is invested in community development activities to sustain remote and isolated lifestyles. Ms Treloar is a next generation pastoralist who has a contemporary understanding of the business facets in addition to the land management requirements of pastoralism.

• Scott Michael – Mr Michael is a pastoralist with a number of sheep and cattle grazing properties in the Gawler Ranges and Flinders Ranges districts. Mr Michael is known as an innovator and ‘early adopter’ of new methods and technologies in pastoralism and land management practices. These skills have come to the fore through his membership on the Gawler Ranges NRM Group where he has demonstrated his leadership and drive in supporting neighbouring properties to adopt technologies. Mr Michael is an active contributor to his community and engages with Livestock SA, and other pastoral industry forums and networks.

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 Stuart Dan van Holst Pellekaan welcomed the new SA Arid Lands Landscape Board members.

“I would like to congratulate the new board members on their appointment. It’s great to see a varied representation covering pastoralism, conservation and mining with all new board members bringing with them a diverse range of experience, knowledge and skills,” said Mr van Holst Pellekaan.

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

SA Arid Lands Landscape Board Chair Ross Sawers 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. Sawers.

“A number of the successful candidates and applicants have served on the region’s NRM groups and we welcome them in taking the next step in being appointed a board member. This will bode well for community confidence given the critical relationships the board will seek to maintain with the Arid Lands regional community. The diverse range of skills of the new board is exciting and equips us to be a strong leader in managing our regional landscape, which includes the new areas of Port Augusta and Flinders Ranges Council areas.”

The SA Arid Lands 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.

For more information visit www.landscape.sa.gov.au