Terrain has been succesful in matching state and commonwealth funds to build a clean up and recovery project with achieve environmental outcomes for the region, and its all about to get underway.

We have been working hard to ensure that the vital lessons learnt from the Larry clean up can be applied to the current round of disaster recovery actions.  In this newsletter I can provide you with an update of some specific work Terrain will be undertaking toward environmental repair, including:

1. Coordination
2. Clean up and Green Army
3. Environmental Funds for Disaster Recovery.

Coordination - Terrain has been working closely with local government and other groups involved in the disaster recovery committees across the region, to ensure a coordinated and appropriate response for environmental assets and to work closely with council and industry on the economic impacts of the cyclone and floods.

Clean Up and Green Army - Terrain commenced discussions with the state government (DEEDI) as soon as the Rural Resiliance package was announced, regarding Terrain's potenital role in Operation Clean Up and other components of the  package announced for Cyclone Yasi areas.

This program mostly focusses on employing displaced workers and the unemployed to clean up damaged sites and complete environmental improvement and restoration projects.  The critical lessons from Larry taught us that the clean up process can have perverse environmental outcomes. Terrain commenced negotiations very early with DEEDI to develop a program to be coordinated by Terrain which would see some crews dedicated to sensitive environmental sites under our supervision.  Terrain has now been notified that we will responsible for 50 staff (from Operation Clean Up and Green Army) to work on sites with public good and environmental outcomes.

Watch for details regarding the registration of sites for work teams.

• Replanting and restoration of impacted native vegetation;
• Reconstruction of wildlife corridors
• Removal of debris spread by flood waters or high winds where the debris is having a negative impact on the environment or sustainable farm practices.
• Control of pest weeds and animals where these have been spread by the natural disasters.
•  Restoration of in-stream habitat
• Mitigation of impacts on protected species.

The Commonwealth funds were announced just in time, for Terrain to be able to commit to the DEEDI administered Clean up and Green Army  Programs.  In essence Terrain has married the commonwealth funds with the state labour program to ensure maximum on-ground environmental recovery.  This will be a very busy time for Terrain, but I think it demonstrates the critical role of the NRM body to 'join the dots' and ensure increased benefit to regional NRM assets.

Terrain has been advertising in local papers this week seeking expressions of interest for a range of roles to deliver this program.  Our web site contains all the details and we look forward to gathering a pool of people suitable for a range of roles.

Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) has also been funded by the commonwealth to coordinate volunteer programs to support the recovery process. Terrain is looking forward to working with CVA on high priority sites across the region.

The prioritisation of sites will be completed in conjunction with landowners, local government and community  via existing structures such as  the disaster recovery committees currently operating across the council areas.

Warm regards

Carole Sweatman
Chief Executive Officer