Cape York NRM Board of Directors meets several times throughout the year. The Board’s most recent meeting and AGM was held in Cooktown in October
So the warmer season has arrived. Although we might enjoy the increase in temperatures, it comes at a cost to the land, water and ourselves. Tough months are inevitable for those working and managing the land, however some properties have started receiving rainfall for this coming wet season.
A hot topic over the recent months has been fire and management. Most property owners and land managers have prepared well and initiated a fire management plan but still might suffer from the challenges of very high temperatures, growing winds and others’ negligence towards the land.
Fires come about through accidents, intent, and sometimes through mother nature, but with some luck early rains may have extinguished unwanted fires, even hurrying along a little greenery and fresh vegetation.
The Board of Directors hopes you enjoy reading the stories in this issue and wishes all land managers well with the season ahead. It does test the land, the animals, crops and people. Following an early phone hook-up in January, your Board has met face-to-face on three more occasions with the most recent in Cooktown where our AGM was hosted. Directors retained all seats and are looking forward to another year in the NRM world. 22
As we are a representation Board of Directors, we all look through a very diverse lens, bringing knowledge, skills and suggestions to the table. Although key themes for funding and projects are determined by the State and Commonwealth Governments, we do have some flexibility with how those projects are delivered. Our staff are out in the field chatting to members throughout the year, coordinating the Regional Investment Strategy workshops and engaging at forums and functions to pull that background together.
Staff liaise with the Board on personal levels, and with careful thought, assemble all the information into key priorities for Cape York in order to align these delicately with Government expectations.
We hope you have a great season ahead and we respect the intensity of this time of year. Remember to check out our website to find out more about past or current projects, positions and science, on the land and water across our region.
Merry Christmas and Happy New year from Cape York NRM Directors and staff
