Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan

Sustainability, Agriculture and the Environment

Key Focus Areas

The priority issues the Coorong Tatiara LAP are currently addressing are;

• Biodiversity Protection and Enhancement
• Supporting Sustainable Agriculture
• Community Engagement
• Animal Pests and Weed Control
• Understanding Dryland Salinity
• Understanding constraints and improving production on Sandy Soils
• Providing up to date information on Water Security Technologies
• Supporting Farm Businesses through dry seasons and bushfire recovery

About Us

The Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan partnership working under the Coorong and Tatiara District Councils has successfully delivered on ground change and community engagement across the Upper South East over the last 20 years. Large amounts of Commonwealth and State funding has been attracted for environmental and sustainable agricultural works. This has produced positive on ground and community outcomes for primary producers, community groups, schools, and public land managers. As a result the CTLAP is a readily recognised body working in the NRM space in our region.

Past projects have provided a range of financial incentives to land managers to undertake on ground improvements in the areas of; revegetation, remnant vegetation protection, wetland protection, pest animal control, weed control, perennial pasture establishment, clay spreading, farm forestry, and fodder shrub establishment.

Our staff also provide technical support to land managers, Agricultural and Environmental Groups, Indigenous Communties, and Schools, delivering a range of events, technical information, web based and social media content.

Recent Achievements

To date the Coorong and Tatiara LAP Committees have successfully attracted over $25m of funding with an estimated $100m of landholder in-kind support. Over 250,000 hectares of on-ground works has been completed. The CTLAP have, over 20 years, attracted funding from Commonwealth and State Governments, NRM Boards, all with the highly valued in kind support of private and public landholders.

Steadily increasing levels of landholder participation in the on-ground works program has been a highlight of the LAP's success, with more than two thirds of the areas landholders being actively involved. The LAP's on-ground works program has been able to deliver up to 80% of all external funding on-ground. This is due to the large scale of the projects and the considerable support of the Coorong and Tatiara District Councils. Funding bodies view the Local Government delivery model of project delivery favourably due to low administrative costs, effective financial and risk management, and recognised governance structures.

Our reputation is based on effective project delivery with maximum benefit on ground with minimal overhead costs.

We are recognised for our  high quality events, and over the last 8 years a growing web content of technical information.

Our Purpose

The core purpose of Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan (CTLAP) is to align the practice of environmental management with agricultural production.  Local Action Planning acknowledges that management of local natural resources starts with the individual.

Some issues are too large or complicated for individuals to tackle alone.  The purpose of the Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan is to provide support and to build the capacity of individuals and groups to address these larger issues in an effective and timely fashion.

Our Vision

Our Vision is for a sustainable and prosperous future for our community through balanced management of the environment.

The Coorong and Tatiara Region

The Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan region is aligned to the Coorong District Council and Tatiara District Council Local Government areas respectively which covers approximately 1,531,200 hectares of land, 46,800 hectares of lakes, and features over 100 kilometres of coastline.

The yellow and white areas show the Natural Resources South Australian Murray Darling Basin and Natural Resources South East areas.

The population of this area approximately 12,200.

Project Delivery Competencies

Funding and Project Management

Excellent track record of attracting funding and satisfying grant reporting requirements

Recognised ability to deliver a range of successful projects

Writing successful funding proposals and investment strategies

Excellent and proven project implementation, management, monitoring, and report writing skills

Governance

Sound governance and accountability and risk management provided by Council

Expertise and Experience

A recognised source of information and networks

Strong technical expertise and experience in sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and environmental management

Demonstrated expertise in event management, community engagement, social and print media, and web page development and maintenance

Building the capacity of the community through the sharing of knowledge and skills

Relationships

Strong brand recognition in the community built up over the 20 years

Existing land manager networks, mailing lists, relationships with environmental and agricultural groups, and industry leaders

Passionate Committee Members

Ability to assist landholders in a practical manner  to employ sustainable agricultural practices, and environmental projects

Issues

Listening and responding to local intelligence through use of networks and engagement

Experienced and qualified staff who have a strong understanding of local issues

An agile organisation that can quickly respond to arising issues such as; drought response, dryland salinity, water security, and more….

Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan & Governance

Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan Structure

There is a Memorandum of Understanding between Coorong District Council and Tatiara District Council that forms the basis of the Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan (CTLAP) partnership. Tatiara District Council makes an annual financial contribution to the partnership which is used as leverage in external funding applications.

The aim of the LAP Committee(s) is to develop and implement a plan that enhances our regions natural environment and supports sustainable agriculture.

The Coorong and Tatiara LAP Committees are both Section 41 Committees sitting under the respective Councils. Both are guided by; a Terms of Reference, and Local Action Plans based on the District’s resources and local agricultural and environmental issues. These are broad plans used to support the strategic direction of Committee, Staff, and funding applications. These plans can be found below. Committee Members are a combination of landholders, and passionate community members with environmental or agricultural expertise.

Staff are employees of Coorong District Council. Additional resources are engaged as required.

The relationship between the two Councils, LAP Committees, staff and other stakeholders is represented in the diagram above.

Coorong Tatiara Local Action Plan - History

The Coorong District Local Action Plan (LAP) Committee was formed in 1995, following the completion of the Coorong District Soil Conservation Board's District Plan. The initial focus of the Committee was to prepare a plan that addresses the areas priority NRM issues as indicated in the Soil Board's District Plan.

The LAP was produced in 1997 and reviewed in 2000 following extensive community consultation.

The implementation of the LAP commenced in 1997, with the aid of Natural Heritage Trust and later National Action Plan funding, and aimed to address land management and environmental issues by:

• Controlling groundwater recharge through the broad scale planting of deep rooted perennial plants,
• Conserving and enhancing biodiversity through the protection of remnant native vegetation and wetlands and extensive revegetation using local native species,
• Supporting and promoting sustainable agricultural productivity which maintains and enhances the long-term productive capacity and environmental health of the land,
• Improving groundwater management.
• Empowering the community through education and awareness about natural resource management issues.
• Provision of professional support to community NRM groups and individuals.

The Coorong District Local Action Plan was reviewed and updated in 2000, and again in 2012 with the support of Commonwealth Strengthening Basin Communities Funding. Since the 2000 Plan Review issues such as climate change and water security have become national priorities. There have been significant changes to legislation including the introduction of the Natural Resource Management (NRM) Act in 2004, and the subsequent introduction of NRM Boards and Groups.

The Coorong District Local Action Plan was last updated in 2012 with the support of Strengthening Basin Communities Funding. This Plan can be viewed by clicking the link below.

Coorong District Local Action Plan - 2012 (5638 kb)

The Coorong District LAP Committee recently completed their first Strategic Management Plan. The Draft version of this plan can be found by clicking below.

Coorong District Local Action Plan Strategic Plan (1837 kb)

Coorong District Local Action Plan Strategic Vision 2023 - 2028

The leadership of Local Government is a key factor in the success of the Coorong Tatiara LAP model.

To this end, in 2010 the Coorong and Tatiara District Councils were successful in obtaining $2.158 million from the Commonwealth Caring for our Country Program to roll out a four year project focussing on sustainable agriculture and biodiversity across both Council areas.

This gave rise to the establishment of the Tatiara Local Action Plan Committee in 2010, a Section 41 Committee of the Tatiara District Council. The Tatiara LAP Committee guided the preparation of the first Tatiara Local Action Plan with Chairman Adrian Barber as the principal author.

Coorong District LAP Committee Terms of Reference - endorsed by Coorong District Council July 2020

Natural Resources of the Tatiara A Plan for Local Action(4548 kb)

Addendum to the Natural Resources of the Tatiara March 2018

Tatiara Local Action Plan Committee Terms of Reference 2018(283 kb)