State of the Environment
Norfolk Island is a place of immense natural beauty. Due to its isolation, the community has traditionally relied, almost exclusively, on its natural resources to support the human population. For this reason, it is critically important to understand the environmental health of the island, and the resources that are extracted or generated from the land and sea. Planning for the community– from roads and ports to timber and rock – relies on accurate information. Environmental data also helps to identify measures to protect Norfolk Island’s endemic and agricultural environment.
State of the Environment reporting is an established process undertaken by local governments and regions to understand trends in the natural environment. Information gathered for SoE reporting is dependent on regional context, with local governments establishing the most appropriate data and metrics for their local needs. For Norfolk Island, relevant environmental data was identified during the development of the Environment Strategy in 2018. The release of the Norfolk Island State of the Environment Report is the region’s first release of environmental data and achievements under this framework.
Data in the report is presented for the period 2016/17 to 2020/21.
Findings are presented across six themes, with trends and recommendations outlined at the end of each theme section.
Themes:
- Energy, Transport, Utilities and Resources
- Waste
- Sustainable Food from the Land and Sea
- Clean Water in our Tanks and Marine Area
- Population Planning and Retaining Open Spaces
- Biodiversity