Cape York NRM is embarking on the development of a new Land and Water Plan for managing natural resources on Cape York Peninsula. The Cape York Peninsula Land & Water Plan will provide a framework for supporting natural resource management (NRM) at all scales across the region, to maintain and improve the health and productivity of the land, waters, soils, habitats and biodiversity.

While Cape York NRM is coordinating the creation of the plan, it does not belong to us; it is a plan for the whole of the Cape York Peninsula community. 

Completing the questionnaire is an invaluable opportunity for each of you to contribute to the future well-being of our region. Your insights, experiences, and perspectives are essential in shaping the direction of our natural resource management efforts. Whether you are a landowner, a traditional custodian, a recreational user, or simply someone who cares deeply about the future of Cape York, your input is invaluable.

The success of the Cape York Peninsula Land & Water Plan hinges on the active participation of community members like you. Your involvement ensures that the plan reflects the diverse needs and interests of our community and that it is grounded in the realities of life on the Cape.

The contribution to this plan is also timely given the profound impacts of Tropical Cyclone Jasper on Cape York Peninsula. 

The unprecedented flooding that swept through our region in December 2023 has left indelible marks on communities, homes, livelihoods, and the environment. The displacement of communities, destruction of homes, loss of livestock, and damage to infrastructure stand as stark reminders of the vulnerability we face in the wake of natural disasters. Such events underscore the urgent need for concerted efforts to safeguard our natural resources and build resilience in the face of a changing climate.

Your views will guide the Land and Water Plan for the next 10 years and will combine current science, traditional knowledge and your feedback.

The following questions are an opportunity to have a say; to tell us and the government what is important to you from a natural resources perspective.  

What do we mean by “assets”? Natural resources, or natural assets, are the natural features on  Cape York Peninsula. It could be the savannah landscapes, the rainforests, marine turtles, good pastures or soil, clean fresh water or mangroves. And we also include the people of the Cape, their culture, and heritage. 

Pressures to these assets can be anything from increases in feral pig numbers, river bank erosion from cattle accessing waterways, or it might be damaging fires, the spread of weeds,  rising temperatures, warmer oceans, more storms or visitor impacts on increasing waste and the logistics of waste removal, or on cultural preservation. 

What are the top priorities for you and what is threatening these assets? What have you seen or experienced over time? It could be an increase in feral pig & cat numbers, or it might be damaging fires, the spread of weeds, rising temperatures, warmer oceans, more storms or visitor impacts on increasing waste and the logistics of waste removal, or on cultural preservation.

And finally, we want to know what action we all can take to improve the health of the Cape’s natural assets. What is working? What do we need to do more of? 

Your responses are strictly confidential and for Cape York NRM internal use only. 

Cape York NRM CEO

Pip Schroor

Complete Questionnaire