NESSiE New England Sustainability Strategy Executive

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Media Release
24.9.08

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Community Leaders Envision a Thriving and Sustainable New England Region

More than 101 community leaders and experts successfully worked together at the Public Forum held on Monday 22 September to establish the foundation for the whole of community New England Sustainability Strategy. The feedback during and since the Forum has been overwhelmingly positive says Adam Blakester, convenor of the New England Sustainability Strategy Executive (nicknamed NESSiE), and the quality of the strategic planning done at the Forum was both high and highly collaborative. The Forum held at NERAM was the first major step in developing the New England Sustainability Strategy and the final event of the very successful 2008 Sustainable Living Expo. The vision formed by the community leaders was of a thriving and sustainable New England Region, regenerating and building on our existing strengths. The vision features highly integrated and productive agricultural lands and healthy biodiversity. The community is culturally vibrant from all over Australia and the world, living a sustainable modern lifestyle. Knowledge and creative industry in research, education, professional services, agriculture and cultural areas are seen to continue to be strong features and economic basis for the Region, though enhanced with new emerging global markets, sustainable and renewable technologies. Developing a whole of community sustainability strategy is a challenging task continues Blakester, though critically important for us to lead and create our own future. We had local and national businesses, Councillors, local, state and federal bureaucrats, Indigenous leaders, youth and community leaders all working together to ensure the strategic planning reflected the aspirations and opportunities for the whole of our diverse regional community. The outcomes from the Public Forum form the foundation of the whole of community New England Sustainability Strategy and will be made publicly available shortly. A Wiki-Community www.ness.wikidot.com has been created as the public space for the Strategy, using digital video, digital photographs, audio recordings and discussion blogs to provide information about the Strategy and the means for further community input and comment. The New England Sustainability Strategy is funded by NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, Armidale Dumaresq Council and Armidale Family Support Services. NESSiE is a consortium of more than a dozen local and national professionals and experts in sustainability and strategy development. To get involved or find out more go to www.ness.wikidot.com or contact Adam Blakester on 02 6775 2501, 0419 808 900 or adam@paradigmplay.net. Media Contact | NESSiE | Adam Blakester | 02 6775 2501 | 0419 808 900