Cliffs Asia Pacific Iron Ore is poised to contribute almost $2.5 million to projects in the Goldfields in a three-year joint land management agreement with the Department of Environment and Conservation.
The full statement is below:
Environment Minister Donna Faragher today launched a groundbreaking three-year joint land management agreement between the mining sector and the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC).
The agreement between DEC and Cliffs Asia Pacific Iron Ore for the greater Mount Manning Range area in the Goldfields will see Cliffs contribute $2.485 million, plus in-kind operational assistance, on projects in four areas:
- indigenous training and employment to increase land management capacity and achieve on-ground works
- fire management including wildfire threat analysis and on-ground protection work
- flora management including rare flora and priority flora surveys and research
- fauna management including malleefowl research, feral animal control and regional surveys for below-ground invertebrates.
The project's steering committee also includes a representative from the Wilderness Society.
Mrs Faragher said the initiative was an excellent example of DEC and the mining industry working collaboratively to achieve land management outcomes that could have enormous value for the entire Great Western Woodlands region.
"I congratulate Cliffs and DEC on reaching this agreement which represents a significant step for environmental management in the region," she said.
The Minister said the partnership was complementary to ongoing work to develop a comprehensive strategy for the Great Western Woodlands in line with the State Government's $3.8 million election commitment.
"The greater Mount Manning Range is located in a multiple use area within the Great Western Woodlands with mining, pastoral, conservation and Aboriginal heritage values," she said.
"The issues addressed by this partnership - indigenous training and employment; fire management and flora and fauna management - are critical issues across the broader Great Western Woodlands area and will inform land management practices across the region."
