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DWE Home > Home > across the state > Western Division > Working with the community

DNR and the Western Division

Working with the community

The Department works closely with a range of groups, including local councils, primary producers, community organisations, Catchment Management Authorities, and the Western Lands Advisory Council, in developing and delivering its programs. These programs include:

West 2000 and West 2000 Plus

During the early 1990s, a combination of drought, high interest rates, and low commodity prices caused severe economic hardship in many parts of the Western Division. In response, the NSW and Commonwealth Governments launched the West 2000 Rural Partnership Program, designed to improve the economic performance of pastoral properties, the management of natural resources, and the prosperity of western communities.

Following the success of West 2000, the NSW and Commonwealth Governments introduced the West 2000 Plus program, which ran from 2001-2005 and built on the results of previous work. Both programs were conducted in partnership with Western Division primary producers, with the two governments investing $30 million between them in improving the economic viability of the area.

As a result, almost 70 per cent of pastoral primary producers received training, a number of important environmental rehabilitation projects were completed, many primary producers received assistance to diversify their enterprises, and a strong network was fostered between producers, government agencies, and the broader community. These programs have allowed landholders in the Western Division to be better placed to withstand the vagaries of weather and commodity prices and to adapt to new opportunities in the future.

Enterprise Based Conservation

Enterprise Based Conservation, a highly successful pilot project under West 2000 Plus was developed to allow primary producers to receive an income from managing their land to achieve conservation outcomes. It has since gained national recognition and been a leading influence on Commonwealth and State Government conservation policies.

Rangeland Assessment Program

Some 300 landholders in western New South Wales are involved with the Rangeland Assessment Program (RAP), a major program that annually monitors vegetation and soil conditions at 350 sites, across 35 million hectares. The program has operated for the past 15 years and is the only project of its type in Australia.

RAP data is used to improve planning, land management, and vegetation condition of rangeland ecosystems at the bioregion, catchment, and rangetype scales. Remote sensing using satellite imagery forms an integral component of the program, enabling rapid appraisal of changes in rangeland condition over time.

The RAP also has strong links with the Australian Collaborative Rangelands Information System (ACRIS), the DUSTWATCH program, and the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre.

Legal Road Program

The Department is now working with the community to formalise the road network system throughout the Western Division. Unlike the rest of Australia, virtually none of the roads were created when the region was originally settled. Completion of the program will ensure that people's rights of access, and their responsibilities and liabilities, are clarified.