Kingaroy Shire Council and its residents have historically played a leading role in Queensland’s South Burnett region in regard to natural resource management. Building on the success of previous environmentally focused projects, Council applied for and received funding from the Natural Heritage Trust to undertake a project entitled the Kingaroy Shire Remnant Vegetation Management Strategy and onground Community Conservation Action project.
This project has achieved a great deal since its commencement in March 2000, with one of the major outputs being the development of the Kingaroy Shire Remnant Vegetation Management Strategy. The Strategy was officially launched by the Mayor of Kingaroy Shire, Councillor Roger Nunn, in October. It identifies the management issues pertinent to the future conservation and sustainable use of Kingaroy Shire’s Remnant Vegetation.
This document is highly strategic having been developed through ongoing consultation and participation of key stakeholder groups. These include the wider community, environment groups, Local Government organisations, other government departments and non government organisations.
Funding from the Natural Heritage Trust facilitated the running of four onground revegetation/restoration projects at priority sites spread throughout the Shire. These community focused projects resulted in more than 200 local residents volunteering to plant more than 3,500 native seedlings. Most recently, at the fourth and final revegetation project held in September at Mt Wooroolin, 87 volunteers turned out to plant, fertilize, mulch and water over 700 native seedlings.
Other achievements of the project include the running of a series of practical workshops, a joint initiative of a group of project officers based in the Burnett region, referred to as the Community Onground Workshop Series, and the construction of the Kingaroy Bottlebrush Community Nursery.
Following on from the success of this project, Kingaroy Shire Council was successful in receiving $64,000 funding under the 2001/2002 round of Natural Heritage Trust funding for a new project titled Implementation of the Kingaroy Shire Remnant Vegetation Management Strategy.
This project is due to commence this month.
For further information contact Celeste Lowe, Council’s Remnant Vegetation Management Officer, on (07) 4162 6244.
