The social and economic wellbeing of current and future generations is dependent on managing natural resources to sustain both production and conservation.

The Natural Resources Commission (the Commission) provides independent advice to the New South Wales Government to achieve these outcomes. Read more

Natural resource management in NSW

The NSW Government invests in natural resource management to strengthen our local environment and communities. We need rich and diverse land and water resources to sustainably support industries like agriculture, tourism, fisheries and forestry.

In NSW, important decisions about natural resource management are made at the regional level so that local communities can have a direct say in how their landscapes are managed. This decision-making is guided by a formal Standard to support high-quality management, and independent audits of regional plans and progress.

What is natural resource management?

Natural resource management is about people managing landscapes to sustain the needs and values of communities, within the biophysical limits of our natural systems. This becomes a balance between maintaining, restoring and protecting landscapes and how we use them to support people’s aspirations.

Almost 90 percent of land in NSW is privately managed. The health of our diverse landscapes relies on private stewardship of environmental assets, such as soil, native vegetation, rivers and wetlands to improve production, biodiversity and community outcomes.

Natural resource management also recognises that environmental and social conditions are constantly changing. Therefore, we need to help communities adapt to change in ways that support their long-term social and economic well-being.