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The Australian National University in partnership with the Commission are hosting the Eucalyptus Dieback Symposium 2022 on the 4th and 5th of April 2022 at the Australian National University. The symposium is part of the 2020 NSW Environmental Trust Environmental Research Program, focused on untangling the causes of eucalyptus dieback.

The Commission has audited eight coastal unregulated and alluvial water sharing plans in the north and south coasts of NSW to ascertain whether the provisions of the plans are being given effect to, as required under Section 44 of the Water Management Act 2000 No 92. While many of the provisions of the plans are being implemented, the Commission considers that on balance the provisions of the plans have not been given full effect in accordance with the Act. The Commission has made audit recommendations and suggested actions to DPIE-Water, WaterNSW and the Natural Resources Access Regulator.

The Commission’s audit of the Water Sharing Plan for the Hunter Regulated River Water Source 2016 considers that the provisions of the plan have not been given full effect in accordance with the Water Management Act 2000. The Commission has made audit recommendations and suggested actions to DPIE-Water, WaterNSW and the Natural Resources Access Regulator.

The Commission is calling for submissions on three inland water sharing plans from members of the community and stakeholders. These plans include: Namoi and Peel Unregulated Rivers Water Sources 2012; Gwydir Unregulated River Water Sources 2012; and Murrumbidgee Unregulated River Water Sources 2012. Submissions close Sunday 6 February 2022.

Two key projects have commenced to investigate novel techniques to improve the detection of cryptic fauna in our forests. The first includes training a detection dog Miki, in a partnership with the NSW Saving our Species program, to sniff out the Hastings River mouse. The second is investigating the use of drones and thermal imaging technology to locate koalas and greater gliders to determine population density.

The Banbai Rangers are leading Aboriginal values assessments on the Wattleridge Indigenous Protected Area and other tenures in northern NSW after the 2019/20 wildfires. Learn about key forest values on their lands and how to better protect these as part of forest and fire management practices by watching their story on the case study. This work is delivered in partnership with the Tamworth and Guyra Local Aboriginal Land Councils under the NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program in collaboration with Firesticks Alliance. Aboriginal-led assessments are also underway with the Coffs Harbour Local Aboriginal Land Council and the Brungle-Tumut Local Aboriginal Land Council. Learn more about the program from Rachael Cavanagh, Firesticks Alliance ( Video interview) and Bhiamie Williamson, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Australian National University and independent advisor on the program ( Video interview) who describe the assessments and outcomes so far.

Researchers have delivered new research on the health of waterway and soils in NSW forests under the NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement program. For example, researchers at the University of Melbourne found annual water flows have decreased in forested catchments over the last 35 years in NSW Regional Forest Agreement areas, with most significant decreases in south coast forests. One third of coastal forest catchments had 10 to 20 percent flow decreases relative to the long-term average. These reductions are likely induced by climatic factors. In other research, scientists at the University of Sydney and the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment have found soil carbon has slightly declined over the last decade in NSW Regional Forest Agreement areas. However, significant fluctuations have occurred in this period. Climate change is predicted to contribute to a decline in soil carbon over most of the study area, particularly the southern alps.

Researchers at the University of Wollongong have delivered independent research on the implications of changing fire regimes on the Coastal IFOA meeting its desired objectives and outcomes. This important research looked at the impacts brought about by the 2019/20 fires as well as the longer-term impacts and risks from changing fire regimes and climate. The findings contained within the report provide broader context for forest management and monitoring across all tenures in the Coastal IFOA region.

The Commission has released findings from a three-year research program investigating how koalas and their habitat respond to selective harvesting on north coast state forests. Overall, the research found the nutritional quality of trees is critical for koala survival and selective harvesting did not have an adverse impact upon koala numbers on surveyed north coast state forests.

The Commission has partnered with researchers at Jacobs to develop a method that will map post-fire erosion. This will improve our understanding of how future wildfires impact water quality and provide options to reduce those impacts. The project will address knowledge gaps of how sediment is transferred to waterways after wildfires. The project will provide options to the Coastal IFOA for improved forest management to protect waterway health in a changing climate.

The Commission’s audit of the following water management plans considers that the provisions of these plans have not been given full effect in accordance with the Water Management Act 2000: Floodplain Management Plan for the Gwydir Valley Floodplain 2016; Water Sharing Plan for the South Coast Groundwater Sources 2016; Water Sharing Plan for the North Coast Coastal Sands Groundwater Sources 2016; and the Water Sharing Plan for the North Coast Fractured and Porous Rock Groundwater Sources 2016. The Commission has made audit recommendations and suggested actions to DPIE-Water, WaterNSW and the Natural Resources Access Regulator.

The Commission has engaged world leading futures and resilience thinkers Adjunct Professor Steve Cork (ANU Crawford School of Public Policy), Dr Simon Ferrier and Dr Steven Lade (Stockholm Resilience Centre) to help develop scenarios for the future of NSW forests. Professor Peter Kanowski (ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society) will facilitate a process to explore a range of plausible futures and pathways in collaboration with other experts and NSW agencies responsible for forest policy and management. This work will assist policy-makers to make informed, evidence-based decisions about the future management of forests.

The NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program has commenced it’s Forest-Eye program and is now calling out to citizen scientists for help. The program has joined forces with the Australian Museum, Australian Citizen Science Association and the Minderoo Wildfire and Disaster Resilience Program to harness the reach of citizen scientists. The first of seven first expeditions (and more to come!) is now available for citizen scientists to help identify species via camara imagery all from the comfort of home. Soon we will have boots on the ground, working with citizen scientists to collect biodiversity data in NSW forests using the latest sensing technology.

The Commission released its final reports on the Environmental Trust’s Coastal Rivers and Estuaries Project. The Trust engaged the Commission to investigate and better understand how they could invest strategically to achieve significant improvements in the health of coastal rivers and estuaries.

The Government has publicly announced that water sharing plans for the NSW South Coast region will be extended for two years in order to be remade. The Commission reviewed water sharing plans for the Bega and Brogo Rivers Area, Murrah-Wallaga Area and the Towamba River water sources.

The Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program is working with the Australian Museum to establish a network of citizen science frog monitoring sites in State Forests, National Parks and Council-managed reserves in the Coffs Harbour region. In partnership with FrogID, the program will be connecting government agencies, researchers and citizen science groups. FrogID is a citizen science project led by the Australian Museum. It uses smartphones to record frog calls, which are verified by a team of trained staff. FrogID currently has over 14,200 users nationally.

The Commission, on behalf of the NSW Forest Monitoring Steering Committee, has provided its first annual progress reports on the NSW coastal IFOA monitoring program to the NSW Environment Protection Authority and the NSW Department Primary Industries. The report describes how the program has laid the foundation with expert reviewed, scientifically based plans to monitor and research forest health, biodiversity, water quality, wood supply and impacts on fire affected sites. The program, under the broader NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program, is establishing NSW’s first environmental and wood supply baselines to evaluate the effectiveness or impacts of the approval on the maintenance of environmental value and on wood supply.

The Commission has purchased Australian Carbon Credit Units through the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation generated through the Tiwi Islands Savanna Burning for Greenhouse Gas Abatement project in the Northern Territory. This helps to support rangers and Traditional Owners manage country while making another step towards our goals of becoming carbon neutral and supporting Aboriginal businesses.

The Commission invites submissions from the public to inform its reviews of water sharing plans for the North Western Unregulated and Fractured Rock, NSW Border Rivers Unregulated River, and Castlereagh River Unregulated water sources. The reviews will focus on the extent to which the water sharing provisions in the plans have materially contributed to the achievement of, or the failure to achieve, environmental, social and economic outcomes. They will also identify whether changes to these provisions are warranted. The submissions close on Friday, 16 July 2021.

The Commission has developed a plan with the Forestry Corporation of NSW to monitor fire affected sites as part of the broader Coastal IFOA monitoring program.

The Minister for Water, Property and Housing has responded to the Commission's review reports of the following water sharing plans: Greater Metropolitan Region Unregulated River; Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater; Richmond River Area Unregulated Regulated and Alluvial; and Tweed River Area Unregulated and Alluvial.

Native animals use habitat on national parks and state forests. Unlike people, they don’t recognise boundaries. Without a consistent and comprehensive approach to monitor native animals across tenures, we risk having a piece-meal view on what is really occurring to our native animals. The Commission is now working with land managers and scientists from the Forestry Corporation of NSW and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to pilot an approach that will lay the foundation for reliable evidence on the health of native animal populations across the landscape.

The Commission has launched an Aboriginal Natural Resources Management webpage to acknowledge Aboriginal peoples’ deep connection to lands and waters, and their continuing and critical role in caring for country. We hope that the webpage will not only promote our growing efforts in collaborating with Aboriginal peoples and organisations to ensure meaningful participation in natural resource management, but we can use this as a tool to strengthen our engagement with Aboriginal NRM knowledge holders, thought leaders and experts so they can share their knowledge to inform our reviews and advice.

The NSW Forest Monitoring Steering Committee has delivered its latest progress report on its forest monitoring program. Learn about the state’s first baselines on forest ecosystem health and the nation’s first plan to monitor progress on NSW Regional Forest Agreements. Follow the program over the next year as it continues to deliver priroity evidence for the future of NSW Forests.

The NSW Forest Monitoring Steering Committee has delivered the nation’s first plan to monitor NSW’s Regional Forest Agreements. The plan sets out priority actions, and roles and responsibilities to monitor, evaluate and report on the outcomes sought across all tenures in the three NSW Regional Forest Agreements. This initial plan sets out the vast array of existing forest monitoring and research already undertaken across NSW RFA regions. It is a first step as NSW continues to join up science across government, and sharpen investment on priority monitoring to deliver outcomes and timely information for decision making.

The Minister for Water, Property and Housing has responded to the Commission's review reports of the following water sharing plans for the: Central Coast Unregulated Water Sources; Coffs Harbour Area Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources; Hunter Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources; Lower North Coast Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources; and the Peel Valley Regulated, Unregulated, Alluvial and Fractured Rock Water Sources. The Government's response is available on the Water Sharing Plan Reviews page.

Tree dieback is increasing globally, across Australia and within NSW – from the Monaro plains, the Kosciusko Alps to the north coast of NSW. On behalf of the NSW Environmental Trust, the Natural Resources Commission is overseeing the NSW Government’s $1.2 million investment in research to tackle the causes of eucalypt dieback. The Trust has awarded grants to leading researchers at the Australian National University, the CSIRO, University of New England, Macquarie University and Western Sydney University. The Commission and its expert dieback panel will be working closely with leading researchers to identify synergies between the research and ensure that the research informs evidence-based landscape management.

The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces has requested the Commission through a terms of reference to provide independent, evidence-based advice on forestry operations under the coastal IFOA as the NSW public forest estate recovers from the 2019-20 bushfires.

The Commission is overseeing different forest monitoring and research projects being undertaken by scientists across government, academia, the private sector and the community. We have refreshed our webpage to provide more content in a more accessible way to help you learn more about what data is being collected by who and when it will be shared. READ MORE about the Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program. Want to know more about monitoring forestry on NSW state forests? Check out our Coastal IFOA monitoring program webpage.

Susan Madden has been appointed as an Assistant Commissioner of the Natural Resources Commission. Susan has over 20 years’ experience working in agriculture and natural resources management. This includes experience in undertaking economic analysis and providing policy advice on major reform initiatives in water, native vegetation, fisheries, forestry, biosecurity and agriculture.

The NSW Environmental Trust has asked the Commission to evaluate the Murrah koala flora reserve project. The Murrah Flora Reserves aim to protect important habitat for the last remaining koala population on the NSW Far South Coast and Aboriginal cultural heritage.

The NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program’s initial investment of over $2 million with 20 project partners is now delivering early data, finding and insights on NSW forest ecosystems and the communities they support. For example, the program has collated over 30 years of historical data to baseline forest extent and distribution of native species. Projects will continue to deliver valuable data and insights in 2021. The community and researchers can access data in 2021 after data is further quality assured.

Mr Bhiamie Williamson from the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research at the Australian National University has joined the NSW Forest Monitoring Steering Committee as a permanent independent expert advisor. Bhiamie is a Euahlayi man from north-west NSW. His research interests include natural resource management, cultural burning and facilitating sustainable community development pathways. In addition, the Commission has engaged the Tamworth Local Aboriginal Land Council and Brungle Tumut Local Aboriginal Land Council to lead cultural values and renewal assessments in their regions under the NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program. Coffs Harbour Local Aboriginal Land Council are currently undertaking similar assessments focused on the impacts of the 2019/20 wildfires in their region.

The Commission has completed its first audit in line with its statutory responsibility under Section 44 of the Water Management Act 2000 (Act). The audit report was provided to the Minister for Water, Property and Housing in August 2020 and is now available on this website. The report covers the audit of the implementation of the following plans:

• Lachlan River (Gooloogong to Jemalong Gap) 2011
• Lachlan River (Jemalong Gap to Condobolin) 2012
• Lachlan River, Hillston, Lake Brewster to Whealbah 2005
• Stage 1: Edward and Wakool Rivers (Deniliquin to Moama-Moulamein Railway) 2010
• Stage 2: Wakool River (Moama-Moulamein Railway to Gee Gee Bridge) 2010
• Stage 3: Edward and Niemur Rivers (Moama-Moulamein Railway to Liewah and Mallan) 2010
• Lower Edward and Wakool Rivers (Stage 4) (Noorang Rd to Wakool Murray Junction) 2000
• Tuppal and Bullatale Creeks (Murray River Uptake to Deniliquin) 2004
• Billabong Creek (Walbundrie to Jerilderie) 2006
• Murrumbidgee River (Hay to Maude) 2014.

The Commission has provided its Annual Report 2019-2020 to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces for presentation to the NSW Parliament. The report will be published on the Commission website after it has been tabled in the Parliament.

The Commission has published scientifically robust plans to monitor and evaluate whether the coastal IFOA is achieving objectives and outcomes. Plans are also in place to determine whether the Coastal IFOA is having a neutral, positive or negative impact on landscape-scale environmental values or wood supply. Evidence to inform adaptive management processes will ensure timely and continual improvement.

The Commission has completed its first audit in line with its statutory responsibility under Section 44 of the Water Management Act 2000 (Act). The audit report was provided to the Minister for Water, Property and Housing in August 2020, and will be published shortly on this website. The report covers the audit of implementation of the following plans:

• Lachlan River (Gooloogong to Jemalong Gap) 2011
• Lachlan River (Jemalong Gap to Condobolin) 2012
• Lachlan River, Hillston, Lake Brewster to Whealbah 2005
• Stage 1: Edward and Wakool Rivers (Deniliquin to Moama-Moulamein Railway) 2010
• Stage 2: Wakool River (Moama-Moulamein Railway to Gee Gee Bridge) 2010
• Stage 3: Edward and Niemur Rivers (Moama-Moulamein Railway to Liewah and Mallan) 2010
• Lower Edward and Wakool Rivers (Stage 4) (Noorang Rd to Wakool Murray Junction) 2000
• Tuppal and Bullatale Creeks (Murray River Uptake to Deniliquin) 2004
• Billabong Creek (Walbundrie to Jerilderie) 2006
• Murrumbidgee River (Hay to Maude) 2014.

Following their submission to the Minister for Water, Property and Housing in May, the Commission has released its final review reports for the following water sharing plans:

• Central Coast Unregulated Water Sources
• Coffs Harbour Area Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources
• Hunter Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources
• Lower North Coast Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources
• Peel Valley Regulated, Unregulated, Alluvial and Fractured Rock Water Sources.

The Commission is seeking to connect the citizen science community to the NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program. Working with the Australian Citizen Science Association and its networks, the Commission will identify existing citizen science data and projects that can support the program objectives.

NSW Government partners with Australia’s leading scientists to deliver data for better forest management across national parks, state forests, crown land and private forested land. The Commission, as chair of the Forest Monitoring Steering Committee, has partnered with 10 universities, the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Regional NSW, Aboriginal organisations and private consultancies to deliver nation leading forest monitoring services. The Steering Committee has approved 11 new monitoring projects on:

• data services
• forest-dependent jobs
• Aboriginal culture and renewal (x2)
• baselines, trends and drivers for forest extent, condition and health
• carbon balance of NSW forests
• baselines, trends and drivers for forest species occupancy and distribution
• fauna call recognisers
• baselines, trends and drivers for water quality and quantity in forest catchments
• baselines, trends and drivers for soil stability and health in forest catchments
• evaluating forest road network to protect forest waterways.

This new work will build on previous investments in assessing post-wildfire impacts to support recovery planning, and monitoring north coast fauna.

The NSW Government has suspended the program to reassess old growth forest mapping on coastal state forests and approved the repurposing of the remaining funds to the Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program.

The 2019-20 fires burnt significant areas of old growth forest and its canopy. The proposed methods under the draft Old Growth Reassessment Framework rely on a remote sensing technique that looks at the forest canopy as a way to indicate areas of structurally mature forest for further field investigation. If the canopy is burnt this method cannot be accurately applied.

The Governor of NSW has appointed Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte as the new Natural Resources Commissioner for five years. Hugh is also the Chief Scientist and Engineer for NSW and will retain that role. He will be working flexibly across both of these roles, and his other roles.

The Forest Monitoring Steering Committee has approved six new monitoring projects on data services, forest-dependent jobs, Aboriginal culture and renewal, evaluating forest road network, carbon balance of NSW forests, and baselines, trends and drivers for forest water catchments.

The Commission invites submissions from the public to inform its reviews of five coastal water sharing plans. The reviews will focus on the extent to which the water sharing provisions in the plans have materially contributed to the achievement of, or the failure to achieve, environmental, social and economic outcomes. They will also identify whether changes to these provisions are warranted. The submissions close on 5 July 2020.

The Commission has provided its final review reports for the following water sharing plans to the Minister: Central Coast Unregulated Water Sources, Coffs Harbour Area Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources, Hunter Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources, Lower North Coast Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources, and Peel Valley Regulated, Unregulated, Alluvial and Fractured Rock Water Sources. Later, these reports will be made available on this website.

The Commission has established two streams to guide program investment and address the state-wide evaluation questions. The Forest Monitoring Steering Committee has endorsed a set of state-wide evaluations questions to guide the future delivery of the program. The questions will link monitoring, evaluation and research to government, stakeholder and community needs about the ecologically sustainable management of NSW forests.

The Environmental Trust has accepted the Commission's advice on research priorities for untangling the causes of tree dieback. Earlier, the Trust engaged the Commission to oversee the delivery of a research program to better understand the causes of eucalyptus dieback in New South Wales.

Following a policy review trigger for the Land Management and Biodiversity Conservation reforms being reached in October 2018, the Commission provided independent, evidence-based advice to the NSW Government. Based on the findings of the review, the Commission provided the NSW Government a suite of recommendations to strengthen the Land Management and Biodiversity Conservation reform outcomes.

The Commission presented preliminary findings for its review of Peel Valley water sharing plan at the Namoi Stakeholder Advisory Panel on 30 March 2020. Feedback to the Commission can be provided by 14 April 2020.

The Commission has overseen the development of the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA) monitoring program, which has now been jointly approved by the Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Environment Protection Authority and the Director General of the Department of Primary Industries in March 2020. A detailed monitoring plan for implementation of the program will now be developed. This will include detailed design of the monitoring strategies and key performance indicators.

The Commission released an annual progress report on the koala research program. The report explains the progress of the research program to-date and the implications of drought and the 2019/20 wildfires on the program. The report also sets out research opportunities to investigate post-fire impacts.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NSW Environment Protection Authority and the Deputy Director General of the Department of Primary Industries have provided joint approval of the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA) Monitoring Program 2019-2024. The program centres on nine monitoring strategies that will evaluate the effectiveness of priority conditions in meeting the Coastal IFOA objectives and outcomes.

The Forest Monitoring Steering Committee has endorsed the Coastal IFOA Monitoring Program 2019-2024 which has been submitted for joint approval by the Chief Executive Officer of the Environment Protection Authority and the Director General of the Department of Primary Industries.

The Forest Monitoring Improvement Program Steering Committee has approved funding for two foundational projects to support post-fire ecological recovery and track changes in fauna occupancy including koalas. A key deliverable under the Program Framework 2019-2024 is to establish foundational projects to provide early building blocks for the program.

The Environmental Trust has received and are considering the Commission's recommendations on the evaluation of the Trust's Major Projects Program – one of the NSW Government’s largest environmental funding programs. The Commission's evaluation focused on the current governance processes to assess whether the Program’s decision making processes are sound, fit for purpose and maximise public value from the Trust’s investment.

Dr Keniry has been planning to retire from the Commission for some time and has confirmed that after eight years he will retire on the 13 December 2019. In the last annual report he indicated: “It has been a privilege to lead the Commission over most of the past eight years, and the opportunity, as an organisation that is independent within government, to contribute to policy review and development across a wide range of natural resource management issues. I wish the Commission well in the future.”

The NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Steering Committee, independently chaired by the Natural Resources Commission, has developed a draft monitoring program for the Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA). The Commission invites comment on the draft monitoring program from all interested parties by 8 November 2019.

The Commission has submitted today to the Minister for Water its final report on the review of the Water Sharing Plan for the Barwon-Darling Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources 2012. The Commission would like to thank the 1,231 respondents who provided submissions throughout this review. The Commission has considered these submissions in finalising the review.

The Environmental Trust engaged the Commission to review the condition, pressures and management approaches for NSW coastal rivers and wetlands, to better understand the barriers and keys to success for improving their health. The investigation aims to identify where and what to invest in for the best environmental return on investment for NSW coasts.

The Commission has published on this website submissions received on the draft report for the Barwon-Darling water sharing plan review. The Commission is now considering these submissions to finalise its review to be submitted to the Minister in September 2019.

The Commission invites submissions on its review of the following five water sharing plans: Hunter Unregulated and Alluvial; Lower North Coast Unregulated and Alluvial; Peel Valley Regulated, Unregulated Alluvial and Fractured Rock; Greater Metropolitan Region Unregulated River; and Greater Metropolitan Region Groundwater. Submissions are to address five key questions in relation to social, environmental and economic outcomes, and opportunities for improvement. Submissions close on 25 October 2019

The Commission is now considering the submissions received for the draft Program Strategy to finalise the Program Strategy.

The draft report for the Commission’s independent review of the Barwon-Darling water sharing plan is now on public exhibition. Submissions are invited by 22 August 2019.

The then Minister for Primary Industries has endorsed all of the Commission’s 18 recommendations on the audit of Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and Local Land Services’ emergency response capability. DPI and Local Land Services have prepared an action plan to implement these recommendations, building on a reform program already initiated.

The Commission has published on its website all non-confidential submissions received for the review of Barwon-Darling water sharing plan. The Commission is now considering the submissions to inform its draft report. The draft report will be released in July 2019 for public consultation.

The Premier has asked the Commission under a terms of reference to independently oversee and advise on a state-wide monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement program for NSW forests. The Commission invited public comment on the draft Program Strategy. The comment period ended on 4 July 2019.

At the request of the Premier, the Commission to independently overseeing a program to reassess existing old growth forest mapping on coastal state forests. The Commission has posted two videos to explain its work.

Submissions are now closed for the review of Barwon-Darling water sharing plan. The Commission has received 70 submissions which will be made publicly available shortly. The Commission thanks every individual and organisation who provided submissions. The draft report will be released in July 2019 for public consultation.

The Premier has asked the Commission under a terms of reference to independently oversee and advise on a state-wide monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement program for NSW forests. The program will improve the evidence-base for decision-making for forest management across tenures. This will strengthen the NSW Government’s ability to strategically and adaptively manage forests and forestry practices over time, including state forests, national parks, private native forests and crown forested land.

The NSW Government has asked the Commission to oversee an independent research program to better understand how koalas are responding to regeneration harvesting in state forests on the NSW North Coast. The Commission has selected three research projects to investigate how koalas are responding to regeneration harvesting in state forests on the NSW North Coast.

The NSW Government has approved amendments to the Natural Resources Commission Act 2003 and these amendments have commenced on 10 December 2018. These amendments follow a Department of Premier and Cabinet review into the functions and performance of the Commission. The amendments will help further position the Commission as an independent source of high quality advice to Government into the future.

The amendments clarify that the Commission's functions include:

• to advise on strategic and investment priorities in natural resource management, as required by the Minister
• to undertake audits and reviews of natural resource management issues, as required by the Minister, including audits and reviews relating to forestry and water management issues
• to advise on program design for natural resources management, as required by the Minister
• to conduct audits of State and local strategic plans under the Local Land Services Act at the request of the Minister administering that Act.

The amendments also take the opportunity to update and modernise the object of the Act, including by replacing the reference to establishing a "sound scientific basis" with a reference to establishing a "sound evidence basis" for the properly informed management of natural resources in the social, economic and environmental interests of the State. The purpose of this amendment is to ensure that the Commission considers all scientific, environmental, economic, social and cultural knowledge in providing advice to Government.