Roadside Environment Project

Roadside environments have a range of ecological, economic, social and heritage values. Roadsides make up about 5% of the total land in NSW, which, when combined with travelling stock routes and reserves, is almost equivalent to the total area of National Parks in New South Wales (7%). 

HCCREMS is working collaboratively with project partners including its 14 member councils, Hunter Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority and the NSW Roadside Environment Committee to improve the protection and management of roadside environments in the region.

The primary objectives of the project include:

• Map the region’s roads and categorise them in relation to tenure, management responsibility, type and status (sealed, unsealed)
   
• Audit, collect, record and map all existing information to assist in the identification of roadside environment values (eg biodiversity, heritage, cultural values)
   
• Undertake systematic biodiversity assessments of a minimum of two `icon’ roadside sites in each Local Government Area.
   
• Undertake rapid roadside assessments to determine and map conservation management categories for roadside areas. These categories will include Low, Medium, and High Conservation and Special Management.
   
• Develop a Regional Roadside Environmental Management Strategy to provide management recommendations and guidelines for the management of roadside environments.