Update from The Dialogue: Community Forum Feedback, Pasture Restoration Field Day and Rehabilitation and Water use data

2023 has started as a busy and productive year for the Dialogue.

Feedback from our 2022 Community Forum is helping to shape our priorities; preparations continue for the inaugural Pasture Restoration Field Day, and data is being finalised from the Rehabilitation Principles and Commitments and Water Accounting Framework projects.

2022 Community Forum Feedback

Feedback from the 2022 Community Forum was considered at March meetings of the Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue’s Joint Advisory Steering Committee and Joint Environment, and Economic and Social Development Working Groups.

Key themes and issues arising from the Forum included Economic Diversification, Future Land Use and Availability, Skills Shortages, and Affordable and Accessible Housing. Environmentally focused issues such as Rehabilitation, Air Quality and Water Security also remained key themes. Although some of these issues are beyond the scope of the Dialogue to address itself, there was clear support for the Dialogue to explore where it can best assist the work being done by others on wider regional issues.

 A draft work plan for 2023 has been prepared and work is underway on some of the issues identified as priorities for the Dialogue. After endorsement at the March meetings, the 2022 Community Forum Report has also been finalised and is available on the Dialogue website: https://bit.ly/46bY7qi .

Pasture Restoration Field Day

Planning is well underway for the inaugural Pasture Restoration Field Day to be held in October. The Field Day will showcase successful pasture rehabilitation by Upper Hunter mining companies. Agronomists, government and mining industry members will come together to share information and latest approaches to pasture establishment and view pasture rehabilitation first-hand. More information on the Pasture Restoration Field Day will be shared as details are finalised.

Rehabilitation and Water use data coming soon

Annual reports for two of the Dialogue’s ongoing environmental projects are also being finalised. Data is being collated for both the Rehabilitation Principles and Commitments and the Water Accounting Framework projects. The rehabilitation project records the amount of land disturbed by mining in a year compared with how much mined land is rehabilitated during the same time frame while the water project documents how much water is extracted annually from the Hunter River by mining and other Upper Hunter water users. Data for both projects are currently being analysed and reports will be finalised shortly and published on the Dialogue website.