The annual Territory Natural Resource Management (TNRM) Awards were held in Darwin last night with the Department of Land Resource Management (DLRM) winning in two categories.
Katherine regional manager Tahnee Thomson won the Individual NRM Champion Award while DLRM’s Flora and Fauna Division won the Research in NRM Award for the development of camera trapping methodology, including a comprehensive guide for land managers.
“I congratulate Tahnee and the Flora and Fauna Division for winning Awards in their respective categories,” DLRM Chief Executive Alastair Shields said.
“Tahnee started her land management career with DLRM’s vegetation mapping unit in the Gulf of Carpentaria in August 2008.
“Since 2010 Tahnee has been with DLRM’s Weed Management Branch in Katherine, where she now works as Regional Weed Management Officer in Katherine.
“Her role with DLRM involves extensive liaison and engagement with land managers of all land tenures, particularly in regards to weed management.
“Tahnee has a keen interest in the cattle industry and enjoys working with pastoralists to help with the implementation of sustainable land management practices.
“She has proven herself to be an outstanding natural resource management practitioner and a leader in her community who is actively promoting women in agriculture through the National Rural Women’s Network Team.
“Similarly, the Flora and Fauna Division received deserved recognition at last night’s Awards Ceremony for its research focused on declining mammal populations and how camera trapping can aid this research.
“A guide for the use of remote cameras for wildlife survey in northern Australia (http://www.nerpnorthern.edu.au/publications/citation/nerp700) is a detailed, plain-English manual that can be applied by a broad range of land managers in northern Australia, to help ensure that monitoring programs using cameras will provide reliable data that can inform adaptive land management.
“When used well, camera traps can provide rich information about native animals and pests such as feral cats without requiring high levels of scientific expertise.
“The Flora and Fauna Division worked closely with Indigenous Rangers and Traditional Owners in Warddeken, Djelk and Fish River Station, and there has been strong uptake of this technology in northern Australia by indigenous rangers and other users such as environmental consultants.
“Support from the Australian Government through the National Environmental Research Program (NERP) has also been crucial to the success of the project.”
The annual TNRM Awards are a highlight of the annual TNRM Conference that brings together some of the Territory’s leading land managers for a series of workshops, presentations and field trips to share and exchange knowledge in the field of land resource management.
Go to www.tnrmconference.org.au for more information.
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