The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative bringing people together to protect, link and restore healthy habitats across 3600 kilometres 2011 to 2015 – building for the future ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to acknowledge the outstanding support and involvement of the many individuals and organisations who have shared a passion for conserving Australia‘s richest and most intact ecosystems across the Great Eastern Ranges. This includes: • Numerous landholders committed to managing habitat and connectivity from western Victoria through NSW and ACT to far north Queensland • Members of our ten Regional Partnership working groups • Regional Partner organisations, including state government agencies, natural resource management bodies, local government authorities, industry, Aboriginal groups, conservation groups, Landcare, research and education organisations • GER Regional Partnership facilitators • GER National and State Partner organisations • GER Lead Partner organisations • GER Science Panel • GER central team • NSW Environmental Trust Board, Green Corridors sub-committee and secretariat • Other colleagues, collaborators and stakeholders in Australia and overseas We would like to recognise that our success has been made possible through the $11.1 million funding support provided over the last eight years by the NSW Government, and the staff and resources of the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage. Additional funding from the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Futures Biodiversity Fund and other programs has also made a significant contribution to our growth over the last four years. Major supporters: The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative network In August 2015, this report was endorsed by the GER Lead Partners, namely Greening Australia NSW, National Parks Association of NSW, Nature Conservation Trust of NSW, NSW Office of Environment & Heritage and OzGREEN, though it still requires final approval by the NSW Environmental Trust Board. It is being distributed prior to Trust Board approval as part of the current review of our governance, delivery model and strategic plan to ensure GER’s future sustainability. Citation: Great Eastern Ranges Initiative (2015) The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative 2011-2015: building for the future. 3 CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................................... 2 CONTENTS .............................................................................................................................................. 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................ 5 1. BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................... 8 2. APPROACH TO DELIVERY .................................................................................................................. 10 3. EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS ......................................................................................................16 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Objective One - Connect Landscapes and Ecosystems .....................................................................17 Objective Two - Link People And Landscapes ...................................................................................20 Objective Three - Communicate Effectively ......................................................................................26 Objective Four - Apply Knowledge ...................................................................................................30 4. RISKS & CHALLENGES ....................................................................................................................... 35 5. OPPORTUNITIES................................................................................................................................ 38 6. CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................................................. 41 APPENDICES ......................................................................................................................................... 43 Appendix 1 – Case studies ................................................................................................................ 44 Appendix 2 – Overview of the ten GER regional partnerships ........................................................68 ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................................... 79 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative • Applying knowledge and skills – reported increased contact with (GER) brings people and organisations Working with researchers and other complementary organisations, together to protect, link and restore the academia to use the best available resulting in high levels of awareness connectivity of wildlife habitats over research, data and analysis of other partners programs going 3600 kilometres from western Victoria, techniques to support the efforts of from 10% to 72% since involvement through New South Wales and the ACT our partners. in GER. to far north Queensland. The region comprises the most biologically diverse Major achievements • Knowledge of connectivity landscapes on the continent and includes conservation – All of those surveyed the most extensive network of protected 2011-2015 has seen the growth and have reported an increased areas and natural habitats in eastern expansion of GER to see it become understanding of connectivity Australia. recognised as a leader in Australia and conservation, with 74% of partners overseas in large-scale connectivity expressing high to very high Scope of investment conservation. understanding of how their efforts contribute to the bigger picture, In 2011, the NSW Environmental Trust This has been achieved through: increased from 22% prior to (Trust) announced the investment involvement in GER. of $4.4m to enable the growth and • Major on-ground outcomes – expansion of the GER over a four year More than 58 000ha of priority • Increased focus on GER landscapes period, which has been supported further linking habitat have been restored – Greater emphasis has been placed by significant funding from the Australian through natural regeneration, weed on applying resources and effort Governments Clean Energy Futures management and strategic replanting, in priority linking areas, with more Biodiversity Fund (Biodiversity Fund) and complemented by more than 160 than 52% of partners increasing their other supporters. voluntary private land agreements investment in them. and 50 property plans encouraging Particular emphasis was given to: enhanced management of a further • Partners’ cash and in-kind 6500ha. contributions – The Trust’s • Implementing connectivity investment in GER has acted as conservation – Delivering a range • More regional partnerships – The a catalyst to attract significant of on-ground conservation projects number of regional partnerships project funding and the alignment through our regional partnerships has been increased from five to of partners’ existing capacity and and national and state partners to ten, all located in strategically resources as in-kind contributions. In improve the connectivity of habitats important landscapes to facilitate the last four years this is estimated to in priority landscapes local community outcomes, with have been at a ratio of $6.50 for every the number of active organisations $1 of Trust funding. • People working together – Expanding increasing 110% from 120 to 260. and building the capacity of the Lessons for connectivity regional partnership network in • Greater community awareness of the conservation priority landscapes in NSW, ACT, brand – Partners’ communications Queensland and Victoria and capacity has been mobilised to • Local ownership - The work of GER supporting efforts to build their complement delivery of a GER experience is held by participants sustainability communications strategy, carrying engaged in regional projects, stories and information about the knowledge sharing and coordination • Communicating with the GER to an audience of at least 4.5 across landscapes facilitated by a core community – Extending the reach million across eastern Australia. supporting capacity. Its successes of the importance of connectivity cannot be imposed from outside or conservation and awareness of • Increased trust and collaboration above, but are generated from grass- the GER to engage, motivate and between organisations, community roots level involvement in locally- influence partners, stakeholders and and landholders – Two-thirds of owned and managed projects. the wider community those GER partners surveyed have 5 • Collaboration - Throughout the the coordination of local biodiversity • Leverage recent business funded period, GER has performed conservation activities. These development – develop innovative an essential role in engaging improvements are reported as being delivery programs that position organisations, explaining its directly associated with GER and proposals alongside existing projects objectives and helping new partners represent a major outcome of the in a bigger context of contributing to find a place in expanding regional Trust’s investment.