Liz Gould1 and Grace Muriuki, Healthy Land and Water

Liz Gould is passionate about biodiversity conservation. Liz enjoys collaborating to develop and translate policy and science, engaging and informing the community and achieving real outcomes for wildlife and nature. Liz has worked in natural resource management for nearly 30 years (17 with Healthy Land and Water), managing multi-disciplinary teams to deliver large and small-scale collaborative projects, primarily focused on biodiversity conservation. Major current projects include the review of the SEQ NRM Plan, migratory shorebirds, koalas and macadamia. Liz is on the Board of Great Eastern Ranges, a former member of the Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage Area Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee, interim Chair of Kholo Creek Catchment Group and involved in the Australian Citizen Science Association (Queensland Chapter). Liz is an active member of recovery teams for Eastern Bristlebird, Macadamia, Red Goshawk and Glossy Black-cockatoo and has successfully delivered multiple landscape-scale projects addressing connectivity and wildlife conservation within SEQ and through cross-regional collaborations.

Abstract: The South East Queensland Natural Resource Management (SEQ NRM) Plan contains a set of community-agreed targets for natural assets such as air and soil, waterways and wetlands, forests and grasslands, coastal environments, as well as culture and people. Healthy Land and Water is undertaking the second review of the SEQ NRM Plan with support from research bodies, government, industry, and community. Preliminary assessment of progress against the baselines established in 2009, suggests while there have been some wins, substantial challenges remain to deliver the agreed targets by 2031.

Successful delivery of the SEQ NRM Plan relies on collaboration and coordination of natural resource management across the landscape by a diverse suite of organisations and individuals, operating at local, catchment and regional scales. Community and stakeholder involvement in the SEQ NRM Plan review are vital to understanding and resolving the challenges faced by the region’s natural assets. Review of the SEQ NRM Plan is supported by funding from the Australian and Queensland Governments.