Lower Georges River Urban Sustainability Initiative

The Lower Georges River Sustainability Initiative (LGRSI) is a response to long-standing Georges River Combined Councils’ Committee (GRCCC) objectives for its River Ecosystems Program. Partners with GRCCC in the project are Hurstville City Council, Kogarah City Council, Rockdale City Council, Sutherland Shire Council, and Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority.

Background

The Lower Georges River (LGR) is a ten kilometre reach between the start of the Bankstown Local Government Area and the mouth of the Georges River.  For the purposes of the Lower Georges River Sustainability Initiative, the mouth is considered to be represented by a line between Towra Point and Sans Souci.  The catchment of the LGR is contained within the Local Government Areas of Hurstville, Kogarah, Rockdale and Sutherland Councils, and comprises relatively intensive land uses; mostly residential, with some industrial, commercial, recreational and bushland (including National Park).

The detrimental environmental impacts of urbanisation on the catchment and waterways of the Lower Georges River have been noted in a range of recent studies.  The various strategies and plans that have been developed to address these environmental impacts commonly identify pollution by stormwater run-off as the primary threat to ecosystem health and recreational useand loss of native vegetation as a threat to biodiversity. 

The Project Steering Committee

The project is guided by a Steering Committee comprising representatives from each partner organisation and two community members.  The Steering Committee want the LGRSI to be practical and focused on ‘results’.  There is an appreciation that the long term aspirations of the project for water quality, biodiversity, governance and community sustainability are not likely to be fully met within the project timeframe.  Consequently, the project should take the ‘next steps’ towards those objectives by putting in place practical arrangements which can underpin sustained change.

The Steering Committee will oversee a Strategic Sustainability Plan by March 2010 that will have several discrete but complementary Action Plans, each aimed at meeting objectives identified as the “next steps” towards achieving the desired outcomes of the Project. 

Desired Outcomes

The desired outcomes of the LGRSI are:

1. More effective organisational arrangements within partner councils (to enable and enhance sustainable practices);
2. More effective urban water management;
3. More integrated planning and implementation of Natural Resource Management programs within the Lower Georges River catchment;
4. More sustainable practices (ie behaviour) of community and business;
5. Improved bushland, biodiversity and riparian health. 

Action Plans

The desired outcomes will be addressed by four Action Plans to be developed:

1. NRM Integration Program activities focus on the governance issues relating to the overlapping roles of numerous organisations within the catchment, and aim to enhance the integration of these activities and the coordination of related activities and media messages.
   
   
2. Organisational Effectiveness Program activities have both environmental and economic implications.  The environmental issues relate to improved waste minimisation and management practices, more sustainable purchasing practices and Council involvement in each of the other Action Plans.  The economic issues relate to prioritising the allocation of resources, and influence on Council purchasing decisions.
   
   
3. The Water Sensitive Urban Design Adoption Program has both governance and on-ground implications for Councils.  The governance issues relate to both the manner in which Council staff, departments and Councillors organise and interact for information exchange and planning, and the mechanisms of government (such as DCPs) which regulate the application of water management principles in urban development and construction.
   
   On-ground environmental issues will be addressed through provision of WQIDs and constructed examples of best practice in WSUD.  These will be prioritised and funded in accord with the decision-making processes determined in the Action Plan.
   
   
4. The Community Partnerships Program has economic, governance, environmental and social implications.  The Program has a focus on capacity building for partnerships which involves novel approaches to governance of projects.  In particular, the requirement for a partnership and the support for projects based on a partnership between stakeholders provide a different approach to competition for resources.
   
   On-ground environmental issues will be addressed through on-going support for projects which emerge from a supported planning process. These will be prioritised and funded in accord with the decision-making processes determined in the Action Plan.
   
   Economic issues will be addressed to the extent that they are identified in successful partnership projects.  Business groups, along with other community groups, are likely to integrate economic considerations into their conception of the sustainability projects they propose.
   
   Interaction between council and community groups, and between the community groups in workshopping, the partnership proposals will enhance the social networking of existing people and groups and awareness amongst participants of the range and significance of issues with a sustainability focus.  The bushland, biodiversity and riparian health activities have on-ground environmental and social implications.  Better social relationships can be expected from increased interaction between Councils and community groups.  Improved environmental outcomes can be expected from increased support for projects with a vegetation and biodiversity focus.

Foundational Activities to date

The Lower Georges River Sustainability Initiative was approved for commencement by the NSW Environmental Trust and the project partners on 20 January 2009.  The Project Manager commenced work on 20 May 2009.

The project is on track to have the Business Plan reviewed and approved in October 2009.  Activities to date include:

• Steering Committee formed, Terms of Reference agreed, and Expressions of Interest for Community Member positions under consideration;
• Draft Business Plan submitted for review by Environmental Trust, including:
  • Outcomes Hierarchy reflecting review by Steering Committee of project objectives;
  • Engagement and Communications Strategies (Draft);
  • Budget.
• Engagement and Communications Officer position advertised;
• Water Sensitive Urban Design Action Plan workshops scheduled;
• Community Partnerships Program Action Plan (Draft).

Anticipated Activities

Anticipated activities up to the completion of the Strategic Sustainability Plan in March 2010 include:

• Appointment and induction of the Engagement and Communications Officer, and development of a workplan to provide for the LGRSI Engagement and Communications Strategy and completion of activities identified in the GRCCC Communications Plan;
  
  
• Completion of the Strategic Sustainability Plan including;
  • Situation Analysis and review;
  • Completion of four Action Plans.
• Commencement of work within the Community Partnerships Program Action Plan:
  • Development of compendium of sustainability activities from elsewhere;
  • Engagement of existing community groups;
  • Expressions of interest for projects/programs;
  • Project planning workshops leading to project plans.
• Commencement of work within the WSUD Action Plan:
  • Group workshop for 4 councils;
  • Planning workshop for each of 4 councils;
  • Identification of next steps and resource needs for each council.
• Commencement of work within the Organisational Effectiveness Action Plan:
  • Organisational Profiling in 4 councils;
  • Identification of next steps and resource needs for each council.
• Commencement of work within the NRM Integration Action Plan:
  • Mapping of current project/program overlap and integration;
  • Joint meetings to discuss current programs and plans;
  • Identification of next steps and resource needs for each organisation.

How you can be involved

Contact Col Freeman, LGRSI Project Manager, to:

• Get more information on the Community Partnerships Program which provides an opportunity for community groups to propose a project or program that they would like to partner in delivering;
• Ask about how a business, household or individual can be more sustainable;
• Find out about a range of upcoming workshops and events;
• Suggest a workshop or event that you would be interested in attending;
• Suggest an activity that you would like some support to conduct;
• Tell us about a great ‘sustainability’ idea you have seen or heard of elsewhere.

Col Freeman
Rockdale City Council
Phone:      (02) 9562 1703
Mobile:      0434 154 865
Email:         cfreeman@rockdale.nsw.gov.au