Central West - Catchment Management Authority

The Central West Catchment Management Authority (CMA) has been established by the New South Wales Government as an independent, statutory authority to engage communities in the management natural resources within their catchment.

The Central West CMA is a locally driven organisation, the key-coordinating agency for natural resource planning and management in the region. The Authority performs this role in partnership with the community, State Government agencies, community committees, local government and other service providers on behalf of the New South Wales Government.

The Central West CMA builds on natural resource management work already undertaken. This includes building on the recommendations and actions contained within the Catchment Blueprint, the Investment strategy and the preliminary work that has been undertaken in the development of regional vegetation plans.

The role of the Central West CMA is to engage communities within the catchment in key natural resource management issues that are facing their local, regional and state-wide resources. The authority is the primary vehicle for the delivery of incentives for sustainable land management funded by the State and Commonwealth Government.

The Central West Catchment Action Plan was announced by the Hon. Ian Macdonald, Minister for Natural resources, in Bathurst on 19 March, 2007. The Central West CMA is the first of 13 CMA's throughout NSW to launch its Catchment Action Plan. This is a result of the integration of previous work, as well as considering the recommendations that have been developed at a grass roots level through community action and sub-regional planning.

Specific functions include: preparing and implementing catchment action plans and associated investment strategies; recommending and managing incentive programs to implement catchment action plans and maximise environmental outcomes; consulting fully with regional and local committees and catchment communities in developing and implementing catchment action plans.

The Central West CMA is currently developing an Investment Strategy for funding Natural Resource Management programs in the Central West Catchment and are seeking your opinion. (Click the link above).

"What's On" and "Money Matters"

The Central West CMA produces a monthly newsletter that informs the Central West Catchment Community about natural resource management issues and events in their area. It also contains a section on funding opportunities that are currently available. To go to the What's On and Money Matters newsletter, click here.

If you would like more information from the Central West CMA please email: cw@cma.nsw.gov.au