Victoria’s catchment management authorities (CMAs) have had another strong year, delivering healthier waterways and catchments, jobs and more liveable communities right across the state.
The 2017-18 Victorian Catchment Management Authorities Actions and Achievements Report, highlights the great work done by the 10 CMAs.
This includes:
- 5,615ha of native vegetation works completed;
- 96,956 community and landholders working to improve the environment on public and private land;
- over 1,000,000ha of pest plant and animal control completed;
- 818 waterway structures to stabilise banks and improve habitat;
- 717km of fences built or improved; and
- 10,134 requests for permits, licences, leases and planning referrals provided to landholders.
The report highlights the many projects that have been completed to improve waterway and catchment health as a result of the Victorian Government’s $222 million Water for Victoria investment. This investment also includes $22 million to support the Our Catchments Our Communities strategy that helps form better partnerships between government and community to deliver better on-ground outcomes.
As well as Water for Victoria, CMAs are key agents for delivery of Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037, Victoria’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan and Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
CMAs have a long and proud history of embracing diversity and fostering inclusion: half the CMA Board chairs are female and five Indigenous directors were appointed during 2017/18. Furthermore 3% of the CMAs’ workforce are Indigenous, compared to 0.9% in the broader public sector.