2008/09 Northern Rivers CMA Investment Program

The Northern Rivers CMA receives funding to achieve natural resource management outcomes aligned with two major government initiatives.

NSW Government State Plan 

Firstly, the NRCMA, as a NSW statutory authority, has a responsibility to the NSW Government to assist with the delivery of the State Plan. Priority E4 in the State Plan outlines better outcomes for native vegetation, biodiversity, land, rivers and coastal waterways; The Northern Rivers CMA has a responsibility to deliver on those outcomes.

Australian Government Caring for Our Country initiative 

The Australian Government (AG) Caring for our Country program is the second initiative, providing the NRCMA with resources to meet the objectives of the AG Business Plan 2009-2010.  The Business Plan identifies targets and locations for natural resource management activities prioritised by the Australian Government for action in the next few years.

Northern Rivers CMA funding sources 

The NRCMA receives funding from four major sources: 

• The NSW Government provides recurrent funding for staff salaries, office accommodation, motor vehicles and general running costs. This funding is used to undertake the core business of the Northern Rivers CMA ie administering the Native Vegetation Act, providing advice and information to the community on natural resource management issues and addressing the targets in the Northern Rivers Catchment Action Plan.
• The NSW Government also provides natural resource management funding to assist the Northern Rivers CMA in delivering State wide targets from the State Plan. As the investor, the NSW government will provide the Northern Rivers CMA with its preferences for investment and the Northern Rivers CMA develops localised or regional plans, projects and actions to deliver outcomes consistent with the State wide target.
• The Australian Government provides the Northern Rivers CMA with a base level of funding to assist them to meet the targets in the Business Plan. The two parties negotiate a program of activities which the Northern Rivers CMA implements, monitors and evaluates, reporting back the AG on outcomes achieved. The Northern Rivers CMA prepares an annual Investment Program which identifies the activities, outcomes and allocations to each target.
• In addition, the Northern Rivers CMA will develop partnerships and collaborate with third parties such as Landcare, Local Government and various NGOs to develop projects for identified targets and in identified areas of the Business Plan. These projects will be applied for under the Australian Government's Caring for our Country competitive program and if approved will be implemented in collaboration with the partners.

The NRCMA also applies for and receives funding from other opportunistic sources. The Environmental Trust is one example.  Projects funded by the Trust are those not funded by traditional government sources but are considered to be of exceptional environmental value.