The Community Environmental Contract, or CEC as it’s better known in Mosman, is an extensive works program to regenerate bushland, improve stormwater quality, rehabilitate creeks and restore historic seawalls. Funded by a special ratepayer levy of five percent over 12 years, the contract is Council’s guarantee to the community that all money raised will be spent on specific, budgeted projects. In the three years since its inception, the CEC has proven to be an outstanding success.
The environmental outcomes clearly demonstrate the astute management and innovation of Council’s project team. As a result of CEC funding, stormwater from over 60 per cent of Mosman’s catchments is now filtered by Stormwater Quality Improvement Devices (SQIDs) before entering the waters of Sydney Harbour. Combined, Mosman’s SQIDs have prevented nearly 280 tonnes of pollutants entering the waters of Sydney Harbour.
The number of bushland reserves under professional bushland management has increased from 10 to 20, and nearly half a kilometre of historic and architecturally significant seawall has also been restored.
Since being approved by the New South Wales Minister for Local Government in June 2000, Mosman Council has raised over $2.3 million in additional grant funds. The key to this success has been the prior commitment of funds by Council to well planned and scheduled projects.
This grant funding has enabled Council to further expand the environmental and community objectives of the projects. For example, Lawry Plunkett Reserve Environment and Heritage Project was originally scheduled as several small creek projects. Thanks to an additional grant from the NSW Stormwater Trust, it is one of Council’s largest integrated projects. It now includes a large scale stormwater education campaign with onground works, including creek and bushland regeneration, as well as stormwater control, and heritage interpretation works.
Likewise, the Taylors Bay Stormwater Project originally was to install small SQIDs in the catchment. In cooperation with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Council successfully acquired a Natural Heritage Trust grant. This has enabled expansion of the project to include a successful community involvement campaign, track works to improve pedestrian access and bushcare. As integrated projects, they have combined the objectives of different program areas.
By removing factors responsible for much bushland degradation, most stormwater projects in Mosman can also increase the effectiveness of CEC bush regeneration projects. Even seawall projects are integrating multiple environmental objectives. Rather than simply a civil engineering exercise, Council sees this work as a great opportunity to expand and protect intertidal habitat. Again, this approach has enabled Council to gain additional grant funding.
To successfully implement these integrated projects, Council established a dedicated multi disciplinary project team, with staff from the fields of civil and environmental engineering, communications, bushland management and environmental science. The contribution of team members with different backgrounds and professional training has been one of the CEC’s great strengths, and has benefited CEC project outcomes.
An additional essential element of the its success has been the constant support of elected Councillors, staff and residents of Mosman. This is largely due to the clear benefits that the CEC has brought to the natural environment of Mosman, and the work that Council staff has done in promoting and explaining it to the community.
The success of the CEC in managing multiple aspects of the local environment, and gathering the support of local residents has attracted the attention of many other groups, both locally and internationally. Mosman Council has hosted visits from the Sydney Coastal Councils Group and the NSW Coastal Council, as well as the Senate Select Committee on Water Management in Australia, and international delegations from Japan, Korea and Tonga.
