Dr Iris Bohnet with Keith Noble.
Community call to shape Cardwell Shire future
Local residents are being asked to be actively involved in building a picture of what they would like the Cardwell Shire to look like in 20 years’ time.
In the first research of its kind in the Cardwell Shire, local residents are being asked to be actively involved in building a picture of what they would like their community to look like in 20 years’ time.
The research, which is part of the Cardwell Shire Floodplain Program, is being carried out by CSIRO through the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship and will work with local government, industry and the community to develop possible long-term futures for the area, based on the community’s ideas.
CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems’ Dr Iris Bohnet says: ‘We are no longer just talking about improving the environment; it’s about finding out what people want in that environment.
‘Location, people and the economy are the basic building blocks of a sustainable community. These are always changing as communities grow and work to improve their quality of life.
‘We need to know what’s important to people and then use this information to successfully plan for the area’s future.’
“The research, which is part of the Cardwell Shire Floodplain Program, is being carried out by CSIRO through the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship and will work with local government, industry and the community to develop possible long-term futures for the area, based on the community’s ideas. ”
Dr Bohnet will be conducting a series of interviews, focus groups and workshops over the next few months to provide the FNQ Natural Resource Management Board and Cardwell Shire Council with up-to-date information for future developments in the floodplains.
Groups representing industry, indigenous people, the environment, youth, clubs, seniors and schools as well as individual landholders, farmers and non-landholders are being encouraged to contact Dr Bohnet to take part in the project.
Cardwell Shire Floodplain Program’s Keith Noble says: ‘Our future prosperity is dependent on our community drive and Shire industries.
‘The pace of change in Far North Queensland is increasing and local people need to make sure our future maintains the quality of life and opportunities we value – it’s too important to leave to chance.
‘Dr Bohnet’s research will bring forward important information from the community for developing models for our future livelihoods and wellbeing.’
The research is supported by the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship’s Floodplain Renewal program which aims to develop land use and landscape management solutions for coastal floodplains in the Great Barrier Reef region.
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