Solutions Newsletter Editon 04

IN THIS ISSUE

 

 

Leaders in environmental consulting

If your company is planning a mining or exploration project in South Australia, our team at Rural Solutions SA can help. Senior Consultant, Wayne Brown has over 20 years’ experience in environmental consulting and heads up a team of specialist environmental consultants.

Our head office is based in Adelaide, however we also have staff located in many regional areas around the state — giving them local knowledge, a good understanding of the local agenda and very importantly, established trust with the local community. That’s something no other consultancy firm in SA can offer.

The Native Vegetation Council
The first and seemingly quite logical step many organisations take is to go direct to the Native Vegetation Council. Unfortunately, the Council already have hundreds of projects waiting to be evaluated — in fact, three of our staff members are currently working with them full-time to help them clear the backlog. Which means it could easily take over 12 months before your case is even looked at. However, there is an alternative. Rural Solutions SA could save you months – if not years!

We can work with you to complete everything you need before you approach the Native Vegetation Council. We can present them with completed documentation, showing understanding and compliance with the relevant legislations.  From there, it should be a relatively smoothprocess to get approval and the go-ahead for your project.

Contact us today

Our job is to take the hard yards out of the process. As soon as you have a project planned in a particular region or locality, and before you commence talks with the relevant local communities, call Wayne Brown on 0408 813 628. He’d be pleased to hear from you.


How we Work with You

  • Contact us
  • Discussion and site meeting
  • Prepare necessary documentation — aerial photography/site-specific information
  • Review site details — soil/vegetation/ land management issues
  • Prepare Native Vegetation documentation
  • Submission to native vegetation Council
  • Presented jointly with you
  • Recommendations
  • Management
  • Approval
  • Joint project management

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Delivering Significant Advantages to the Minerals Industry

The South Australian Resources and Energy Investment Conference is coming to Adelaide, South Australia, on 2–3 May 2005. The Minerals and Energy division of Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA) is backing the conference. Based on the number of companies presenting and delegates attending, the conference is shaping up to be the best one on record.
Rural Solutions SA aims to play a major part in the minerals and energy industries. It has developed a suite of services specifically tailored for the industry. The services include: environmental impact statement and management planning, Significant Environmental Benefit (SEB) services, post-mining land use planning and community consultation and engagement.

Effective EnvironmentalSolutions
Rural Solutions SA delivers environment management plans and environmental impact plans that meet all regulatory requirements, which are practical and scientifically based. When developing a management plan Rural Solutions SA consultants work closely with the client to make certain that current and future needs are fully understood.
Specialist consultants – who are Native Vegetation Council accredited – can assist with all aspects of SEB determination, native vegetation clearance and landscape rehabilitation. They are experienced in areas of revegetation, regeneration, restoration, and enhancement.

Better Community Relations
Rural Solutions SA also delivers quality community consultation and engagement, which allows organisations to tap a wider source of information, ideas and viewpoints. Rural Solutions SA provides different levels of consultation required for policy development, license and work approvals.

For more information contact: Michy Kris 08 8226 0428 or 0438 440 229.

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PIRSA native vegetation management plan assessment process

 PIRSA native vegetation managementplan assessment process 

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Minerals industry issues:solutions now available

Rural Solutions SA commissioned a survey of businesses involved in the minerals industry to identify issues that impact the industry and to find out the extent of outsourced consulting services. Rural Solutions SA goal is to support the minerals industry to achieve business growth and sustainability.

The chosen ones
A total of 101 businesses in South Australia were interviewed, the breakdown was 80% extractives, 34% mining and 23% exploration. The businesses surveyed also varied  in size with 45% employing 1 to 5 staff, 34% employing 6 to 50 staff and 18% employing over 50 staff.

Minerals industry issues
Results of the survey show that issues with the greatest impact are land access, environment, government and fuel prices. And 49% of businesses with mineral operations in South Australia outsource consulting services.

Solutions now available
Rural Solutions SA happen to be experts in the areas of community consultation and engagement, environmental management and skilled at navigating through government bureaucracy. This makes Rural Solutions SA a clear choice for consulting services.

For more information contact: Michy Kris 08 8226 0428 or 0438 440 229.

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Build Stronger Community Relations

For projects involving native titled land, our Indigenous Services department would be of great assistance to your organisation. Members of this 5-person team have an average 10–12 years’ experience working with indigenous communities throughout South Australia and beyond.
Our network also extends to SA’s indigenous agencies, and we’re well versed with policy, heritage and native title issues.

By using our established links and networks with indigenous communities, our consultants can facilitate a successful outcome for all parties involved. Let us assist you and your organisation to engage and consult with aboriginal communities.

Ideally suited as mediators
We’re perfectly placed to be the mediators and facilitators in the consultation process. For example, we’ve worked closely with the Natural Resource Management Board, acting as an agent to establish indigenous focus groups.

We built into the process systems of communication, which encouraged an open flow of information between all parties.

Cultural awareness workshops
Because of our many years’ experience in this field of work, we’ve acquired a cultural sensitivity, an enhanced understanding of indigenous communities and their needs. Our long-standing relationships with the various communities means we know the appropriate people who need to be engaged.

Experienced members of our Indigenous Services team can deliver recognised, qualified training to members of your organisation, in the specific area of cross-cultural awareness.

We’ve designed a 2-day in-house workshop and we also have a 3 or 4-day experience on indigenous land. These workshops contain vital information that will help make your project a success.

Use our team as a conduit

If you’d like to know more about how our Indigenous Services department can smooth the path for your project, contact Senior Consultant, Jason Downs on 08 8226 1546 or 0428 830 473 or consultant Peter Marin on 08 8226 1063 or 0427 015 079. They’ll be happy to assist you.

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Dawesley Creek pollution mitigation

The Case: PIRSA Mineral Resources embarked on a major program in late 1998 to reduce the impact of pollution in the Dawesley Creek below the Brukunga Pyrites Mine. Mining ceased in the early 1970s, but acidic leachate from the area was having an impact on the quality of the water downstream from the mine.
Rural Solutions SA was engaged to project manage the implementation of works along 25 km of Dawesley Creek below the mine site. Work included negotiation withlandowners, determination of the nature and location of appropriate actions to minimise the impact of any pollution, engage contractors, supervise works, record expenditure and report on progress to PIRSA Mineral Resources.

The Solution: Activities included fencing to exclude stock from the creek and reduce erosion, control of woody weeds in preparation for revegetation activities, application of lime to neutralise acidic soil adjacent to the creek, creek crossings and alternative water supplies.
Negotiations with landowners at times was challenging and demanding due to the sensitive nature of the project and wider implications for landowners. Staff from Rural Solutions SA had the necessary knowledge and skills to work with the landowners and ensure that the required works were completed. Rural Solutions SA provided the main contact point for landowners, which reduced the need for PIRSA Mineral Resources to be directly involved in the process.
Overall, the local knowledge and expertise of Rural Solutions SA staff was a major factor in the success of the project.

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