NRM and planning
17 February 2006
In the development of regional NRM plans, due regard is not always given to local plans, such as environment plans, council corporate plans or development plans. This can create a discord between the objectives of the regional NRM body and the local councils. As a result, several projects have been undertaken to investigate ways of improving the integration of local and regional NRM plans.
Improving the coordination between local and regional NRM planning (PDF 218 kb)- This ALGA commissioned paper was developed as part of a broader Local Government NRM Facilitators project in 2005. The paper aims to outline the current opportunities and barriers that exist in improving the integration of local government planning processes and those undertaken by the regional NRM groups. The paper includes a set of tools to assist NRM facilitators to achieve better integration between local government planning activities and those undertaken by the regional NRM organisations.
- Integrating local land use planning and regional catchment planning (External link)
- This project was undertaken by the Municipal Association of Victoria. One of the inherent challenges in the Victorian system of catchment management is to effectively link catchment-based natural resource planning - coordinated at a regional scale, with statutory land use planning - delivered at a local government scale. Additionally, the challenge for both regional bodies and local government is to engage the broader community in the task of natural resource management, to avoid duplication and to ensure regions move ahead together towards more sustainable futures. In 2000, the MAV established this project to achieve greater integration of regional catchment management planning and local land use planning by consistent interpretation of Regional Catchment Strategies in municipal planning schemes across Victoria.
- Local government's role in integrated catchment planning and management - Good practice guidelines (External link)
- The Local Government Association of Queensland have developed these guidelines to provide local governments with knowledge on proven statutory and non-statutory responses to catchment issues, and the ability to tailor these responses to meet local needs. LGAQ have also developed a series of resources to assist councils to integrate NRM and environmental issues into council corporate plans, increasing NRM as a priority at all levels of council activity.
