The South West Catchment Council hosted the launch of the South West Environmental Snapshot on Friday night.
The online resource provides a contemporary overview of the region’s greatest challenges and opportunities and insights into how important environmental assets have changed between 2001 and 2017.
The website is a five year vision to create a ‘one-stop-shop’ for environmental information about the region.
A steering committee, technical advisory panels and leading experts identified, prioritised and developed 33 indicators across key Natural Resource Management (NRM) themes including terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, land and water resources, coastal and marine assets, as well as Noongar and non-Aboriginal culture and history.
A series of case studies were then developed for each theme to provide more comprehensive and indepth examination of some of the most pertinent indicators and the associated conservation actions and on-ground activities implemented regionally to address them.
South West Catchment Council Senior Scientist Dr. Emily Hugues-dit-Ciles said part of its mission was to be a community change-maker on behalf of the natural environment and the communities it represented.
Dr Hugues-dit-Ciles said the Snapshot was designed to be a more accessible information resource and to empower the community to care for their patch.
“We tend to hear so much bad news about the environment that many people feel like they can’t change things or sort fact from fiction,” she explained.
“The Snapshot draws from numerous Government, academic and industry sources and translates the technical jargon so the challenges and opportunities are clearer for all.”
Dr Hugues-dit-Ciles said the landscape, economy, health and wellbeing were all dependent on how the community collectively cared for and managed its environment and natural resources.
She hoped the Snapshot would encourage active discussions amongst citizens, community leaders, all tiers of government, businesses, landholders and other relevant stakeholders, that would prompt action and drive change.
The project is supported by the catchment council through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
