Summary of Programs
Biodiversity
The Biodiversity Program commenced in 1998. Its primary focus includes collection and analysis of scientifically sound baseline data on the biodiversity of the Hunter, Central and Lower North Coast region to better inform and guide land use and conservation planning decisions. Key outputs delivered through the program include:
- Extant Vegetation Community Map of the Lower Hunter and Central Coast
- Pre-1750 Vegetation Community Map of the Lower Hunter and Central Coast
- Habitat Modelling and Conservation Requirements for 7 key threatened species of the Lower Hunter & Central Coast.
- Lower Hunter Central Coast Regional Fauna & Flora Survey Guidelines.
- Regionally Significant Vegetation Mapping for the Central Coast.
- Systematic Vegetation Surveys within poorly sampled environments throughout the region.
- Completion of a consistent vegetation classification scheme for the Hunter, Central and Lower North Coast
- Extant Vegetation Mapping of the Hunter, Central and Lower North Coast
- Vegetation Formation Map of the Hunter, Central and Lower North Coast.
- Updated soil landscape mapping across the region
The current focus includes delivery of the first ever seamless, region wide vegetation community map of the entire Hunter, Central and Lower North Coast region. The production of this regional vegetation map will allow various derivative products and analyses to be produced including:
- Indicative mapping of Endangered Ecological Communities
- Native grasslands layer
- Analyses and mapping of regionally significant communities
- Critical habitat and over cleared landscapes map layers
- Biodiversity connectivity layer
- Disturbance and Condition layers
Climate Change
The effects of climate change will have both direct and indirect implications for councils and their communities. The high growth and population levels in coastal, flood and bushfire prone areas along with significant natural and built assets and a diversity of land uses make Hunter, Central and Lower North Coast region particularly vulnerable to climate change.
The direct organisational impacts on councils are also anticipated to be significant due to the wide spectrum of operations and community services that are vulnerable to changes in climate, provided by councils. 
The need for local action on climate change has been recognised by Councils in the Hunter, Central and Lower North Coast region. In partnership with HCCREMS, significant resources have been directed both within councils and towards the Regional Climate Change Program that aims to:
- Improve understanding by councils and their communities of climate change and its likely impacts
- Identify the key risks to councils and their communities arising from climate change
- Develop and implement adaptation strategies to manage priority risks
Roadside Environments
The Regional Roadside Environment Program aims to maintain and improve the important ecosystem services and environmental values that high quality and well managed roadside environments contribute to the landscape. These include biodiversity conservation, improved catchment and ecosystem health and maintaining the aesthetic character of the landscape.
The program encompasses all aspects of roadside management from planning and environmental assessment through to implementation of road maintenance and construction activities. The project has developed a suite of tools and resources relevant to all levels of road planning, construction and maintenance. The resources have been developed to be of use to planners, asset managers, field supervisors and operations staff, GIS officers and environment staff.
Water
HCCREMS has a decade of experience working with councils and other stakeholders in the region to build their capacity to deliver more ecologically sustainable outcomes for urban water. The Water Program aims to positively influence urban water outcomes through the application of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) and Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) principles and practices across councils. Key areas targeted include:
- Strategic and integrated planning for water, stormwater, natural resources and catchments;
- Land use planning;
- Setting development controls and assessing development proposals;
- Planning and managing open space (such as riparian zones);
- Managing built and 'natural' assets that provide a stormwater service;
- Integrated water planning (across potable water, stormwater and sewerage service provision);
- Community and stakeholder planning and involvement in on ground projects.
Regional capacity building activities typically delivered under the program include:
- Promoting leading practice;
- Sharing lessons learnt from current and innovative practice;
- Providing information and guidance on strategic and technical matters;
- Delivering training and events to build skills and provide opportunities for networking and practitioner knowledge exchange;
- Assisting stakeholders to prepare funding bids that are consistent with capacity building objectives;
- Spearheading and creating partnerships to develop key research and guidance;
- Providing tailored advice and support to HCCREMS councils and stakeholders.
Weeds
The Regional Weed Management Program aims to promote cooperative regional partnerships for the consistent and effective management of weeds across the region. It pursues a holistic approach to the management of invasive vegetation whereby weed control is perceived as one aspect in the larger context of protecting natural assets and contributing to broader environmental outcomes. The program promotes understanding of the causes of weed invasion and integrated strategies for control. The program also facilitates and co-ordinates the delivery of collaborative, multi-stakeholder on ground regional weed management projects.
The program is underpinned by the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Weeds Management Strategy and Implementation Plan 2010 – 2015. This document provides the overriding framework to manage weeds on a strategic landscape scale through coordination in planning, investment and operational activities on a regional basis across landscapes, land management boundaries (irrespective of tenure) and local control authority jurisdictions.
Sustainability
The FOCUS on Sustainability Program aims to work with councils to implement and embed sustainability practices and polices which create a more sustainable environment in the Hunter, Central and Lower North Cost region. Core objectives of the program include:
- Deliver capacity building opportunities for council staff across a myriad of sustainability and management initiatives;
- Develop resources and tools to assist councils in implementing sustainability and environmental protection initiatives;
- Design and deliver regionalised community awareness and education campaigns on sustainability; and
- Facilitate partnerships and resource sharing between councils to improve the delivery and implementation of sustainability initiatives.
Environmental Compliance
The Environmental Compliance Program assists councils to adopt and implement standards, systems and practices that improve council and community compliance with key state and commonwealth environmental legislation. The program works directly with councils to identify and facilitate change in policy and systems to facilitate this change. Specific aims of the program include:
- Build the commitment, capacity, skills and resources of councils to effectively and consistently prioritise and enforce environmental legislation and standards
- Provide councils with a suite of best practice tools and supporting resources to effectively implement environmental regulation and enforcement activities
- Deliver coordinated regional community education and enforcement campaigns targeting regional environmental compliance priorities
- Facilitate the establishment of partnerships and resource sharing between councils and other organisations, to support the ongoing implementation of collaborative enforcement and compliance campaigns
- Improve the nature and consistency of data collection across the region to identify regional trends and priorities for environmental compliance.
Community Arts and Education
This program involves the design and delivery of a number of community arts and environmental education initiatives and resources that aim to:
- Raise community awareness of environmental and sustainability issues
- Increase knowledge about the impacts society has on the environment
- Change community behaviour to encourage protection and management of the natural environment.
While HCCREMS directly participates in the design and delivery of many of these initiatives, a key element of the program also includes building the capacity of individual councils to deliver consistent, co-ordinated and effective environmental messages and themes across the region. This is achieved through working directly with councils to ensure they have the tools and resources needed to deliver education campaigns and programs.
Key initiatives being delivered through the Community Arts and Education Program include: