Southern Prospects Summary Southern Prospects 2004-2009: The South Coast Regional Strategy for Natural Resource Management (The Strategy) aims to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources, protection of natural and cultural values, and the development and maintenance of strong and vibrant regional communtities with the South Coast NRM Region. It provides the vision and framework for natural resource management (NRM) for the region and guides investment in, and delivery of, priority on-ground actions for the sustainable management of the region's natural resources. The development of the strategy was coordinated by the South Coast Regional Iniative Planning Team (SCRIPT), building on several previous regional planning processes and working in collaboration with the South Coast Management Group (SCMG). Extensive involvement with partner organisations and a comprehensive consultation process engaged the wider community and a range of stakeholders to collate information, discuss issues, identify regional priorties and provide input into setting realistic targets for NRM. Southern Prospects is intended to strengthen the region's ability to achieve integration of purpose and effort, and work effectively to protect our natural resources by providing; The vision for NRM and diretly related social and economic matters The values, condition and threats to the region's natural resources The specific goals and targets that, if met, will provide the steps towards achieving the vision A range of actions required to achieve the targets and an indication of their relative priorities A framework for implementing the actions, with an emphasis on partnerships between stakeholders The basis for an investment plan that will asign costs to the priority actions for the region What can be achieved? The South Coast community's vision is to be recognised locally, nationally and internationally for its outstanding biodiveristy, sustainable primary production, diverse cultural values and strong community stewarship of valued natural resources. With a clear vision of the long term future to help direct efforts, objectives were set to focus actions: Community: The South Coast has a strong community with the capacity to plan and manage natural resources for the maintenance of a wide range of empoyment, educational, recreational, and lifestyle opportunities Conservation: The region's biodiversity is conserved and the natural landscapes and marine values are maintained Sustainable use: The region's economy is diverse and robust, and is based on managing all natural resource-dependent industries and activities in an ecologically, socially and economically sustainable manner The strategy has developed aspirational goals and outcomes to be achieved in the next 50 years accross five themes:land, water, culture, biodiversity, coastal and marine. Progress on meeting the long-term outcomes will be measured through Resource Condition Targets which will assist the region to measure its progress in maintaining or improving its natural resources, and will also be included in State and Australian Government monitoring and evaluation frameworks.   How much will it cost? The strategy provides the basis for an investment plan that identifies priority actions, assesses their cost and relative benefits, as well as possible cost sharing arrangements. While the investment plan has been submitted in the past to the Australian and WA governments for funding under the National Heritage Trust (NHT), National Action Plan for Salinity (NAPSWQ), and Caring for our Country (CfoC) initiatives, the plan may also form the basis of a regonal NRM Prospectus for other investors. Download the Southern Prospects 2004-2009 strategy here The WA South Coast Macro Corridor Network A bioregional strategy for nature conservation prepared by the Department of Environment and Conservation (WA) and South Coast NRM. January 2006. Through preparation of Southern Prospects 2004-2009: The South Coast Regional Strategy for NRM, the significance of the regional scale macro corridor concept as an adjunct to the existing and proposed protected area network (primarily national parks and nature reserves) has become more widely apparent as a strategy towards achieving the best long-term outcomes for biodiversity conservation. The potential importance of the proposed monitoring site network has also become more apparent in the face of a suite of threats to biodiversity including the effects of climate change. Download the WA South Coast Macro Corridor Network strategy here