Our Environment

Natural Resource Management

Break O’Day’s natural environment and the natural resources it provides are important to our community and our future. Council’s Strategic Plan 2017-2027  includes a goal for the Environment: To balance our use of the natural environment to ensure that it is available for future generations to enjoy as we do.

For the wider community to achieve that goal, plans for the Environment and Natural Resource Management (NRM) have been developed for the key focus areas of Council’s Strategic Plan 2017-2027 and strategic NRM priorities in Break O’Day. Everyone has a part to play in achieving these plans.

To help support this Council has a representative Natural Resource Management Committee, a Special Committee of Council.  It also employs a NRM Facilitator in its Development Services Department, located at the main Council office in St Helens; a role that supports the community, landholders and Council in managing the area’s biodiversity, land, soil, water and coastal values and invasive species and supports it’s NRM Committee.

For more information contact our NRM Facilitator at our main office in St Helens.

Council’s Natural Resource Management Committee is a Special Committee of Council comprising

  • Three Councillors
  • Two individual or local interest group representatives
  • One local conservation interest representative
  • One aboriginal community representative
  • Two representatives from the agricultural sector
  • One representative from Parks and Wildlife Service
  • One representative from the forest industry
  • One representative from the marine and aquaculture sector, and
  • One representative from the education sector.

The Terms of Reference of the Committee are:

  • To promote the protection, effective management and sustainable use of Break O’Day Municipality’s natural resources, including flora and fauna, coastal and marine assets, soils, water and atmosphere, through implementation of the Break O’Day Environment and NRM Action Plan and Strategy
  • To evaluate progress towards the objectives of the Break O’Day Environment and NRM Action Plan and Strategy
  • To provide support and advice to Council on issues referred to the Special Committee by Council
  • To bring before Council significant matters relating to management of natural resources which require attention and/or are not incorporated in the Break O’Day Environment and NRM Action Plan and Strategy
  • To represent the views of the Break O’Day community or sections of the community as they relate to social, economic and environmental implications of natural resource management activities.

For further information contact our NRM Facilitator at our St Helens office.

During 2018-2019 Council and it’s NRM Committee reviewed and updated NRM plans for the future to identify priorities for the whole community and Break O’Day to achieve its Strategic Plan 2017-2027.

There are two plans for Break O’Day’s environment and natural resource management priorities.

  • The Environment and Natural Resource Management Action Plan focuses on the most urgent and important actions to be tackling.
  • The Environment and NRM Strategy, on which the Action Plan is based, provides the long term framework of strategic priorities in Break O’Day.

The Action Plan aims to produce outcomes that make a positive change to the strategic priorities in the NRM Strategy.

The plans have been prepared by Council’s NRM Committee and Council to achieve the key focus areas of Council’s Strategic Plan 2017-2027 and are informed by past and present NRM activity by Council and others in Break O’Day.  The NRM Committee reviewed the earlier Break O’Day NRM Strategy 2012 and drafted the new plans for the future based on Council’s Strategic Plan 2017-2027.

There are roles and contributions the whole community must make to accomplish the NRM Strategy and achieve the priorities in the Action Plan.

View and download copies of the plans with the links here.

Environment & NRM Action Plan 2018-2023

Environment & NRM Strategy 2019

Break O’Day is home to two species of rare and unique velvet worm; small creatures of our forests whose contribution is easily overlooked.

 

Our Velvet Worm NRM Action Awards acknowledge and recognise the achievements the community makes for our shared goal for Break O’Day’s Environment and Natural Resource Management (NRM): balancing our use of the natural environment to ensure that it is available for future generations to enjoy as we do.

In 2021 the Velvet Worm NRM Action Awards aim to support our younger generation because this goal is an intergenerational one.  It will provide small grants ($100 to $1500 approx.) to assist environmental projects involving the youth of Break O’Day.

There are four criteria for the Velvet Worm NRM Action Awards grants projects.

Applications should address:

  • Youth involvement,
  • How the natural environment is improved and/or people’s awareness and appreciation of the environment
  • The capacity people bring to do the project
  • Links to priorities of the Break O’Day Environment and Natural Resource Management Strategy 2019 and Action Plan 2018-2023 (available on this webpage under the next tab above).

For details download the guidelines and application form for the 2021 Velvet Worm NRM Action Awards here.  Applications need to be received at the Council office in St Helens at 32-34 Georges Bay Esp.  St Helens 7216, by Sunday 2 May 2021 – emailed (admin@bodc.tas.gov.au) or delivered or posted (by 5 pm Friday 30 April).  We will endeavour to assess applications received and decide on the grants in May.

For more information and help with putting together a project or activity and application use the contact details on the guidelines document here.

Velvet Worm NRM Action Awards 2021 – Guidelines and Application Form – docx

Velvet Worm NRM Action Awards 2021 – Guidelines and Application Form – pdf