Hydro Tasmania and Greening Australia have announced a partnership which will see both organisations working to rehabilitate parts of the Derwent catchment.
Hydro Tasmania will contribute US$175,000 over a three-year period to Greening Australia’s River Recovery Programme which is a national initiative working with the community to rehabilitate some of Australia’s major rivers. The contribution will be aimed at specific projects in the Derwent catchment area.
Announcing the partnership, Hydro Tasmania Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Willis, said the arrangement was a commitment by both parties to work cooperatively to achieve specific environmental outcomes in the catchment area.
‘Through our hydro developments, Hydro Tasmania recognises it has a significant operational footprint in the catchment and we have been studying the impacts of our operations for several years through investigations and extensive consultation with the community,’ he said. ‘Our own water management review programme will run in parallel with Greening Australia’s river recovery programme.’
Greening Australia Tasmanian Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Duddles, said the environmental partnership will support Greening Australia’s work with the community to achieve positive on-ground environmental outcomes.
‘Initially the partnership will focus on Greening Australia’s river recovery programme in the upper Derwent catchment,’ he said. ‘The programme aims to improve water quality and river health, protect and enhance biodiversity, and support sustainable production farming.
‘It will provide an opportunity for Hydro Tasmania and its staff to expand its connection with the rural community in which it operates through Grening Australia’s positive on-ground work. This includes revegetation, habitat protection and rehabilitation, and willow removal while supporting best practice land management,’ he added.
Specific rehabilitation projects to be included in the partnership are still to be identified and agreed.