Page 3016 - Week 11 - Thursday, 22 October 1992

MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, LAND AND PLANNING

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION

QUESTION NO. 376

Soil Conservation Programs

Mr Westende - asked the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning

In relation. to soil conservation in the ACT- .

(1) What soil conservation programs are undertaken in. the ACT.

(2) How.many people are employed in the. area of soil

conservation by the ACT Government. -

(3) Is soil .conservation a problem in the ACT:

(4) Have Any of these acknowledged soil conservation. areas been exacerbated -by bad planning..

Mr Wood - the answers to the Members questions are as-. follows:

(1) The ACT Government is undertaking a program of

treating historical soil erosion sites. Funding from .

the Environment and conservation recurrent budget is

being used to restore some sites and funding,from

the Capital Works program is being used to treat .

larger land degradation areas. Funding is also

being obtained under the National Landcare:Program

(Commonwealth Government) ,o employ a Lancer

Educator, a Landcare Facilitator and to. undertake

natural resource surveys. The ACT Government is currently drawing up guide-lines for catchment and property, management planning:

(2) One"professional officer, two rangers, and-13. industrial staff work full-time land care which

includes soil conservation. The two people mentioned above who are funded under the National Landcare.Program also.work.on.land care:

(3.) Yes.:

(4) Some erosion.-sites may have been .exacerbated by past .

planning_,decisions. However,. the situation is being

.improved by better.consultation with the planners .by

providing natural resource data forums in the

planning process, by giving more-secure tenure to .

rural landholders and by the production of catchment

management plans and property management plans.

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