MEDIA RELEASE 21 December 2010 Rural living guide helps Cradle Coast newcomers Making a ‘tree change’ to rural Tasmania is an idyllic dream for many. To help the transition to reality, Cradle Coast Natural Resource Management (NRM) has produced a booklet titled Rural Living in the Cradle Coast- your local guide to natural resource management. The free booklet for hobby farmers and other small landholders new to the region is available from the Cradle Coast NRM office in Burnie and from select Council offices. Containing useful information and contact details on a range of topics from animal welfare to waste disposal, the 40-page booklet was developed to bring together local knowledge and legal obligations into a single resource. The idea for the guide came after Cradle Coast NRM commissioned a benchmarking survey of rural landholders in the region. The survey found that landholders identified the most common NRM issues to be weeds, introduced pest animals and pasture reduction through native animal grazing, but that awareness on how to best manage these issues was less widespread. Cradle Coast NRM Landcare Facilitator, Alice Ryder, project managed the development of the booklet and has spent three months collating the content from a variety of sources around the region and state. “It was an interesting exercise because there is a wealth of information out there housed in many different places,” Ms Ryder said. “We’ve included key facts and suggestions in the booklet plus lots of web addresses and contact details so landholders can easily find updates. It’s a little guide with a lot of content which we hope helps Cradle Coast newcomers get off to a good start in managing their properties. And of course, this in turn helps maintain healthy natural resources in our region.” Copies of the free booklet can be obtained by visiting the Cradle Coast NRM office within the Cradle Coast Authority building at 30 Marine Terrace in Burnie or by calling 6431 6285. Copies are also available from Latrobe, Burnie, Kentish, Waratah-Wynyard, King Island and Devonport Council offices, with others available soon. End… Cradle Coast NRM works with community, industry, private enterprise and government to manage and improve our natural resources to ensure a healthy future for our region. This project is supported by Cradle Coast NRM through funding from the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country. Cradle Coast NRM is a committee of the Cradle Coast Authority. Media Contacts: Alice Ryder - Landcare Facilitator Cradle Coast NRM Ph: 0417 524 204

Amanda Wilson - Communications Manager Cradle Coast Authority Ph: 03 6431 6285