Long-standing partnerships
Ten years successful collaborative management of waterways and water quality in the Geographe catchment was celebrated by the Vasse Taskforce at their 32nd meeting in Busselton with Hon Pierre Yang MLC.
Adam Maskew, South West Regional Manager said the Vasse Taskforce created robust and long-standing partnerships between its members to support and progress water quality and waterway management priorities.
“A major strength is the Taskforce’s collaborative governance model, which connects agencies, scientists, managers and the community, in a common cause to tackle the complex water quality issues.
“Collectively, the Taskforce partners deploy scientific and evidence-based decision making to make real headway in waterway management.
“A key achievement was the establishment of interim asset managers for waterways that are not the sole responsibility of any one organisation, including the Lower Vasse River, Vasse Wonnerup wetlands and Toby Inlet,” said Adam.
Photo: sampling the Vasse estuary
Community confidence grows
The Taskforce, through the Revitalising Geographe Waterways program (RGW) and Healthy Estuaries WA has secured over $15 million in State Government funding, with an additional $19 million in in-kind funding from Taskforce partners, industry and community.
“This has led to changes in on-ground management practices that have reduced nutrients entering waterways, wetlands and Geographe Bay, and an increased community confidence in the management of Geographe waterways,” said Adam.
“Community surveys have consistently shown that confidence in waterway management has grown over the lifetime of the Vasse Taskforce, and I look forward to helping to plan the next phase of waterway management in the Geographe catchment,” said Adam.
The Taskforce draws on expertise from State Government, local government, Natural Resource Management groups and the community to oversee water quality improvement actions implemented through the RGW program.
More information on the Vasse Taskforce can be found on the RGW website.
Photo: Phoslock trial in the Lower Vasse River