The Northern Tasmanian Regional Drought Resilience Plan (RDRP) has been built on community discussions and shaped by our regional Project Advisory Group. The vision for Northern Tasmania is:

Northern Tasmania works together in a collaborative, supportive and inclusive way to prepare for, adapt, survive and thrive in increasing drought and climate variability.

The vision for the Northern Tasmanian Regional Drought Resilience Plan is supported by the below five themes.

1. Resilient people and communities: building informed, connected and prepared communities in which people adapt and thrive through drought and climate challenges
2. Resilient agriculture and economies: accelerating sustainable agricultural practices, strengthening local food systems, and fostering diverse and adaptive local economies
3. Resilient landscapes and ecosystems: nurturing landscapes and ecosystems that are healthy, biodiverse, protect natural capital, and support community needs through climate variability
4. Resilient water systems and infrastructure: strengthening water security and drought-resilient infrastructure to meet community and agricultural needs under changing climate conditions
5. Resilient systems of governance, collaboration and learning: empowering stakeholders and communities to work effectively together to build lasting drought resilience

Under each theme are six key action areas. Help prioritise these by selecting the top five actions you feel should be delivered first

Theme 1: People and communities

1.1 Building community knowledge and preparedness: Build capacity in knowledge, understanding and tools required to respond to drought and climate risks and take proactive measures to prepare for and adapt to these challenges

1.2 Strengthening social connections and belonging: Foster connections and networks within communities to increase sense of belonging, mutual support, and resilience during times of drought and climate stress

1.3 Nurturing community leaders: Support current and emerging leaders, particularly young people, to take active roles in building community resilience and mobilising others to be involved

1.4 Promoting mental health and wellbeing: Address the psychological impacts of drought and climate challenges through accessible mental health resources and services, with an emphasis on reducing stigma and supporting rural residents

1.5 Supporting vulnerable and marginalised groups: Provide targeted support and resources to vulnerable groups to ensure that resilience is built equitably across communities and those already experiencing hardship are not further disadvantaged

1.6 Mobilising community-wide action and creativity: Support widespread community participation in resilience activities, encouraging local people to respond with agency and creativity to climate challenges

Theme 2: Agriculture and Economies

2.1 Nurturing business leaders: Empower agricultural and business leaders —including emerging leaders, entrepreneurs and small business owners — with the skills, knowledge, and networks to champion climate resilience and adaptation in their companies and sectors

2.2 Promoting sustainable farming practices: Accelerate the adoption of low-impact, sustainable, and climate-responsive agricultural practices that enhance landscape resilience and farm productivity

2.3 Supporting, digital literacy, innovation and technology adoption: Improve digital literacy and innovation capacity, and build capacity for experimentation with innovative practices, technologies, and products that support economic diversity, resilience, productivity, and or sustainable farming systems

2.4 Increasing access to resources and financial support: Provide streamlined and equitable access to financial incentives, grants, and technical support to enable farmers and businesses to invest in resilience and adaptation strategies

2.5 Strengthening local food systems and regional economies: Support the development of robust local food networks, resilient supply chains, and diversified regional economies to increase food security and economic sustainability

2.6 Climate risk management solutions: Advocate for and test new resilience insurance models so businesses and communities can access low-cost, natural hazard insurance and climate finance to manage climate risk and invest in climate adaptation

Theme 3: Landscapes and ecosystems

3.1 Monitoring ecosystem health for targeted management: Establish systems for assessing and monitoring the health and risk of ecosystems, including mapping biodiversity hotspots, evaluating drought and climate risks, and prioritising vulnerable areas for targeted management

3.2 Protecting biodiversity hotspots: Safeguard areas of high ecological value to preserve species diversity and maintain ecosystem health. Focus on protecting native vegetation, conserving vulnerable species, and implementing measures to prevent habitat loss and land degradation

3.3 Restoring degraded ecosystems: Rehabilitate areas impacted by degradation, drought and other stressors to enhance water retention and sequester carbon while supporting biodiversity and sustainable land use. Activities include river and wetland restoration, reforestation projects, soil health programs, and restoration of degraded agricultural land

3.4 Strengthening community stewardship: Enable community-led initiatives that restore and maintain healthy landscapes and ecosystems, including supporting Aboriginal land management practices, school and community planting projects, and partnerships with local groups

3.5 Building fire-resilient ecosystems: Equip landholders and communities with the resources, training, and infrastructure needed for effective fire management – including planned burn support, ecosystem recovery projects, and permanent water infrastructure for bushfire protection in vulnerable areas

3.6 Promoting sustainable land management: Encourage land management practices that reduce land degradation, enhance soil health, and mitigate erosion. Provide education, technical assistance, and incentives for landholders to adopt practices that align productivity with ecological health

Theme 4: Water systems and infrastructure

4.1 Strengthening water storage and access: Expand and diversify water storage and supply systems to ensure reliable access for communities, agriculture, and industry, supporting long-term water security

4.2 Increasing water literacy & engagement: Build community understanding and participation in sustainable water practices through education, awareness programs, and resources that empower individuals and organisations to conserve water and adopt efficient practices

4.3 Promoting water recycling and reuse: Encourage the sustainable use of water through recycling and reuse initiatives that reduce pressure on natural water sources and demonstrate innovative approaches to water management

4.4 Optimising irrigation and water efficiency: Improve the efficiency and sustainability of irrigation systems by upgrading infrastructure, adopting advanced monitoring technologies, and managing groundwater resources responsibly

4.5 Climate-resilient public infrastructure: Assess and adapt public and essential infrastructure to withstand climate risks, ensuring critical services and systems remain operational and are strategically located to reduce exposure to drought-prone areas

4.6 Water sensitive planning: Incorporate water-sensitive and climate-adaptive design principles in urban and town planning to reduce vulnerability to drought and climate impacts

Theme 5: Governance, collaboration and learning

5.1 Strengthening governance and coordination: Establish trusted, transparent, and effective governance structures with clear roles and responsibilities to guide resilience efforts. Focus on long-term planning, dedicated coordination roles, and adaptive funding mechanisms that ensure stability and responsiveness over time

5.2 Fostering regional collaboration and alliances: Build and sustain collaborative networks across councils, agricultural organisations, Aboriginal groups, and community stakeholders to align resilience efforts. This includes forming alliances, conducting comprehensive stakeholder mapping, and ensuring coordinated planning and delivery across sectors

5.3 Engaging communities and diverse voices: Facilitate meaningful community participation in resilience planning and action by engaging diverse groups, including palawa communities, young people, and marginalised groups. Initiatives may include community conversations, public forums and co-design processes

5.4 Promoting best practices and knowledge sharing: Develop, document, and advocate for region-wide best practices in resilience. Initiatives include creating guidelines, hosting annual summits and exchanges, and celebrating successes through resilience awards and showcases to inspire and align efforts

5.5 Enhancing measurement, learning and improvement: Embed learning and evaluation into resilience efforts to ensure continuous improvement. Establish systems for measuring progress, reviewing plans with stakeholders, and integrating new data and evidence to refine strategies over time

5.6 Building trusted partnerships and delivery capacity: Forge partnerships with trusted organisations to implement and deliver resilience plans effectively. Focus on leveraging existing strengths, resources, networks and community trust