NRM South is pleased to announce the release of their 2020-2021 annual report, showcasing the significant progress that the organisation has made in the last financial year. NRM South is the natural resource management organisation representing Tasmania’s southern region and has been in operation since 2002. In this time, they have supported conservation and sustainable agriculture focused projects from as far north as the Central Highlands to the far south of the Huon Valley.
Speaking at their September AGM that welcomed over 50 attendees, CEO Nepelle Crane detailed the significant expansion that the organisation has seen in the last 12 months. From a portfolio of projects worth approximately $8.7 million at the end of the 2019-2020 financial year, NRM South is now celebrating a near-doubling of its project funding to its current $14.8 million of direct cash investment in Tasmania’s south.
‘Over the last two year, our role has become focused on the identification of key priorities and targets, sourcing funding, managing projects, and working in collaboration with our networks, communities, and stakeholders to deliver on-ground outcomes for a healthier environment,’ explained Nepelle. ‘These strategic improvements are reflected in the level of investment that we have secured for natural resource management in southern Tasmania, which has grown by over 300% since 2019.’
Predominantly funded through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, NRM South also receives funding from State Government and other federal government funding programs. Some of the key projects that have contributed to their recent growth include two fish habitat restoration projects worth a combined $630 thousand (through the Australian Government’s Fisheries Habitat Restoration Program), a project to restore native shellfish reefs worth $1.1 million (through The Nature Conservancy), and a project to help farmers in drought-affected regions improve resilience strategies worth $340 thousand (through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund).
Reflecting on the strengthened position of the organisation, Nepelle believes that, with steady growth, NRM South is now in a strong position to set a more ambitious agenda, to build on strong foundations and partnerships and to continue to secure strategic investment for key natural resource management priorities.
To download a copy of NRM South’s 2020-2021 annual report, follow the link to the home page https://nrmsouth.org.au/