The current Regional Natural Resource Management Plan (NRM Plan) is a joint effort between two Regional Bodies, the Queensland Murray Darling Committee (QMDC) and South West NRM Ltd, and the catchment management associations of the Border Rivers, Maranoa-Balonne and the Bulloo.

The Plan is an honest endeavour to move to the next level for the communities that we represent. It plots a course to follow for a five year period and beyond and progresses the concept of community-based natural resource management (NRM) in these regions. Striving to align agency work plans and local government planning in a strategic manner will be an essential element for success.

With funding from the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality and Natural Heritage Trust Extension programs, which support the devolution of the responsibility for NRM to regional community organisations, we can now prepare for a different approach to NRM - one that sees planning and investment over a longer time frame and that is not encumbered and restricted by the 'project-by project' piecemeal approach we have worked with until now.

The NRM Plan also incorporates an ongoing Regional Investment Strategy that identifies longer-term requirements and will be used as a prospectus to gain commitment from a wide range of government and non-government investors in the regions.

There are several layers to the NRM Plan:

• a comprehensive report of the condition/trend of our natural resources at this time
• resource condition and management action targets and actions
• actions and associated investment requirements to achieve those management action targets and actions over time
• a monitoring and evaluation framework to track and report on progress and achievements.