Integrated Catchment Management
This initiative is delivering actions under Chapter 3 of Water for Victoria, implementing the Our Catchments, Our Communities (OCOC) strategy and strengthening Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) to lead integrated catchment management (ICM) in partnership with the community.
EC4 Expenditure to date
| 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Integrated Catchment Management and partnerships with the community | $5,800,000 | $7,020,000 | $4,880,000 | $4,300,000 |
Progress
Effective community engagement in catchment management
- The State-wide Community Engagement and Partnerships Framework for Victorian Catchment Management Authorities has been reviewed and implemented by the 10 CMAs.
- The Aboriginal Participation Guidelines for Victorian Catchment Management Authorities has been launched, with 10 regional Aboriginal participation plans prepared by CMAs. The guidelines have provided the foundations for the approach of CMAs in improving Aboriginal participation in the delivery of integrated catchment management projects.
- Twenty-two Traditional Owner Corporations and Aboriginal groups are partners in ICM projects.
- Fifteen OCOC Leadership Development Grants have been awarded to future catchment management leaders in the categories of Aboriginal Leadership, Innovation and Women in Leadership.
- CMAs have delivered Regional Leadership Programs.
Better connections between state, regional and local planning
- CMAs were funded to undertake a range of engagement processes, regional round tables and engagement events to ensure local views and knowledge were incorporated into Regional Catchment Strategies (RCS) mid-term reviews and implementation.
- A review of the opportunities and barriers to achieving alignment between state and regional plans was conducted in 2017.
- An RCS Outcomes Framework has been developed that describes how land, water and biodiversity goals, objectives and targets, alongside community and Traditional Owner aspirations, can be consistently set by multiple regional agencies across the State. This is the first collaborative approach across all the NRM policy and program areas of its kind in Victoria. As a final part of the programs, CMAs were funded to make that framework fully embedded in the development of new RCS due 2021.
Strengthened implementation of Regional Catchment Strategies
After four years of the OCOC program, CMAs are delivering:
- 19 on-ground ICM projects focused on community priorities and implementing RCSs
- regional investment processes including Regional Roundtables
- strengthened co-ordination between key catchment partners.
Overall progress includes:
Grazing regime change across catchments | 1069 ha |
Water regime has been changed | 16 reaches |
Environmental works (revegetation, earth works, pest control and improved land management practices) | 136,332 ha |
People engaged in field days, workshops, meetings, conferences, presentations and training | 21,672 |
Ecological, cultural, flora, fauna, invasive species, agronomic, property, social, geospatial and soil assessments conducted | 466 |
Management agreements | 193 |
Formal partnerships established and/or maintained | 735 |
On-ground project examples include:
Projects | Benefits/Outcomes | Key achievements | Our Catchments, Our Communities investment | Leverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mallee CMA
| Habitats within the Avoca Basin agricultural landscapes are being improved and recreation access managed to minimise impacts on the environment including at Lake Tyrrell. The fully integrated project is celebrating Aboriginal culture, sharing stories of the environment while protecting it. |
| $1.6 million | $2.5 million investment / in-kind |
Wimmera CMA
| The health and liveability of the Wimmera River is improving due to restoration works, improved recreation access minimising impacts on the environment, and protection of cultural heritage in partnership with Traditional Owners. New partnerships and engagement with groups the Wimmera CMA hasn’t worked with in the past. Local government investment in new plans and proposals to further enhance the Wimmera River and surrounds. |
| $1.6 million | $700,000 of investment |
Glenelg Hopkins CMA
| Critically endangered wetland protected through the Walker Swamp Reserve purchase and improved management on adjoining private land. Walker and Green Swamps and their catchment managed by Nature Glenelg. Trust for Nature covenanting underway to permanently protect 114 ha of shallow freshwater marsh and 135 ha of aquatic herblands. |
| $1.6 million | $851,426 |
North Central CMA
| Three place-based ICM approaches with diverse partnerships delivering community catchment priorities and water services. Environmental improvements, water quality and quantity benefits implemented through the Integrated Upper Coliban Catchment Plan. Lanscape restoration model with Landcare delivering large projects and building community capacity. Cultural practices on Country strengthened through support to Dja Dja Wurrung for Country Planning. |
| $1.6 million | $1,922,000 leveraged including 1:1 funding to deliver the Upper Coliban ICM Plan |
Corangamite CMA
| Fifteen community groups and their partners collaborating to plan and manage the impacts of climate change across the Central Victorian Uplands and Victorian Volcanic Plains. Farm enterprises implementing modernised approaches and best practice for increased water efficiency and reduced offsite impacts in waterways. Whole of property nutrient management improving dairy industry catchment stewardship. |
| $1.6 million | $305,050 direct investment from landholders |
Goulburn Broken CMA
| Capacity of Yorta Yorta Traditional Owners to work on Country strengthened. Landscape connectivity being established between the Lower Goulburn and Barmah National Parks. Landowners engaged in habitat protection to connect vegetation across the Lower Goulburn landscape. Communities participating in citizen science in the Strathbogies to understand links between climate change, vegetation dieback and groundwater. |
| $1.6 million | $609,404 |
Port Phillip and Westernport CMA
| Three projects mitigating the impacts of clearing and development and enhancing waterways, biodiversity, cultural and recreational values in urbanised environments. Waterway corridors are being restored with revegetation linking habitat on private land. Significant community participation undertaking re-instatement works. |
| $1.6 million | $12,103,962 investment / in-kind contributions |
North East CMA
| Integrated catchment management in two key catchments to connect people to their environments and build landscape resilience. Protection and improved condition of vegetation corridors and wetlands, better connecting the Lower Ovens River to the Chiltern-Mt. Pilot and the Warby-Ovens National Parks. Community partnerships improving in-stream and riparian habitats along the Mitta Mitta River, supporting better catchment health. |
| $1.6 million | $557,839 in-kind contributions |
West Gippsland CMA
| Restoration and protection of a unique chain of ponds in the Perry River catchment, including 300-400 on the HVP forestry estate. Innovative partnerships with HVP for changed protocols, management practices, and a new approach to covenanting with Trust for Nature to protect and manage the pond system. |
| $1.6 million | $355,373 investment / in-kind |
East Gippsland CMA
| Red Gum Plains wetlands are being improved delivering community waterways, agriculture and recreation priorities. Increased of awareness landowners, schools and the community about Aboriginal cultural values with heritage sites identified and protected. Gunaikurnai Traditional Owners are connecting to Country through employment in works that also benefit riparian corridors and wetlands. Landowners actively involved in rehabilitating and enhancing reaches of the Tambo River. |
| $1.6 million | $176,500 |
Total | $16 million | $20,081,554 |
Clearer roles, strengthened accountability and coordination
- Catchment Partnership Agreements are in place and CMAs are implementing associated regional work plans. The agreements formalise partnerships across the natural resource management sector to ensure collaboration across agencies and programs. Signatories include, for example, Parks Victoria, Traditional Owners, Trust for Nature and Regional DELWP. The agreements include 135 signatory and non-signatory partners.
- Catchments summits were held in 2017 and 2018 to bring together over 200 representatives of the water and catchments sector across Victoria for a day of knowledge sharing, learning, and networking. These summits were crucial forums to share new information and approaches in integrated catchment management, promote catchment management initiatives occurring across the state, and showcase the importance of partnerships to improve NRM delivery.
- In 2019 a ‘Value of ICM’ workshop was held with 52 participants across the sector.
- A series of eight interactive online catchment stewardship seminars (the ‘ICM Winter Sessions’) were delivered over an eight-week period with over 600 people registering across the nation and over 800 participants across the series.
- 735 partnerships across the State have been developed or maintained by CMAs for ICM projects and as part of CMA-wide business.
Improved monitoring, evaluation and reporting
- Adoption of the Framework for Catchment Condition and Management Reporting by CMAs in their annual Catchment Condition and Management Report.
- Ongoing CMA production of an Actions and Achievements Report.
- A Spatial Output Reporting standard was developed and published. The standard further supports CMAs’ capacity to report using the DELWP Output Data Standard.
- Review of the Output data and delivery standards – the revision updates and aligns data and delivery against current government NRM policy and programs. For example, there is a whole new section on Marine and Coasts actions as crucial receiving land and waters of ICM. It includes new governance arrangements and spatial data standardisation and coordinated management across agencies and partners.
- Improved access to online information for partners and the community – catchments fact sheets, VCMC reporting online, CMA activities and achievements reports.
Page last updated: 27/11/20