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Background

Photo: M. Van Ewijk

Great Eastern Ranges Initiative vision

'For the ecosystems of Australia's great eastern ranges to be healthy and connected from the Australian Alps to Atherton (and beyond), which will contribute to the long-term economic, social, cultural and spiritual wellbeing of the community, and of native plants and animals.'

Why develop the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative?

After more than 200 years of development, the landscape of eastern Australia has changed significantly. Fences, roads, dams, industrial and agricultural lands, powerlines, towns and cities dissect the country, isolating natural areas which have become 'islands' on which plants and animals are isolated, unable to spread or move. As a result:

• many interconnected ecosystems have been fragmented and degraded by human activities
• the landscape's capacity to maintain our unique plants, animals and Aboriginal cultural heritage has been reduced
• it is harder for ecosystems to filter and clean our air, produce unpolluted fresh water and maintain the health of our soils.

The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative is a bold plan to strengthen the resilience of eastern Australia's mountainous ecosystems so they can better respond to the impacts and threats from:

• climate change
• development activities, including ongoing growth in our population  
• invasion by introduced pests and weeds.

The initiative extends across the great eastern ranges which encompass globally significant biodiversity, and catchments critical for eastern Australia's water supplies. DECC and its partners will use the best available science, practical community knowledge and stewardship to conserve and restore connections between landscapes, ecosystems and people.

The Great Eastern Ranges Initiative is consistent with:

• the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's World Commission on Protected Areas strategic program for fostering a connectivity conservation approach
• the National biodiversity and climate change action plan 2004-07 
• the first priority action of the national action plan to address biodiversity decline
• the goals of State plan – a new direction for NSW
• the NSW Biodiversity and climate change adaptation framework 2007–08.

Who will implement the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative?

DECC is responsible for leading the implementation of the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative in NSW. DECC is also participating in an Interstate Government Agency Working Group to progress the concept nationally. The role of this working group is to prepare advice for consideration by the Natural Resources Management Ministerial Council.

The NSW Government, through DECC and the NSW Environmental Trust, is providing more than $7 million over three years to implement the initiative in NSW. Our NSW Business Plan 2007-2010, alpstoathbuspl07408.pdf (636 kb, requires acrobat reader), approved by the Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water as chair of the NSW Environmental Trust, provides a vision, goals, and objectives for the three-year program.

Why change the name from Alps to Atherton to Great Eastern Ranges?

A public awareness and branding program has been undertaken to find a name for the initiative that would appeal to a broader audience. This has resulted in the adoption of 'Great Eastern Ranges', which was found to have far greater resonance with the public than the original working name, 'Alps to Atherton', and is likely to be more effective in gaining widespread understanding, awareness and support.