A clear vision for the future - the VEWH releases its 10-year strategy

The VEWH is looking towards the future with the release of a 10-year strategy that aims to maintain and build on the benefits that healthy rivers and wetlands provide for everyone to enjoy.

The 10-Year Strategy 2023 to 2033 [PDF File - 1.5 MB] is a direction-setting document providing a clear pathway for the VEWH for the next decade. It represents a shared vision for the organisation identifying the key challenges the VEWH faces, its strategic priorities to address these and its aspirations for where it will be in 10 years’ time.

The development of the strategy was prompted by the VEWH’s 10-year anniversary in 2021. This milestone caused reflection within the organisation about how Victoria’s environmental watering program and its context had evolved and how it could progress into the future.

“The 10-year strategy aims to guide how we go about implementing our statutory obligations, and how we evolve this implementation over time to ensure it is relevant and appropriate as we move into the next decade,” VEWH Chairperson, Chris Chesterfield said.

Outlining a clear pathway to guide the VEWH’s investment and effort into longer-term strategic priorities, the strategy also provides a means to communicate and align these priorities to program partners and stakeholders.

These collaborative partnerships are the foundation of the environmental watering program says VEWH CEO, Dr Sarina Loo.

“We are privileged to work with a fantastic team of people and value the partnerships we have developed with the many different agencies and communities who work together to protect our rivers and wetlands.

“We’ll continue to work with our program partners and deepen our relationships with key stakeholder groups, to further build our understanding of their needs and how our environmental watering decisions can also deliver social, recreational and economic benefits, as well as the cultural benefits we will seek in our partnering with Traditional Owners,” she said.

The 10-year strategy identifies the key challenges the environmental watering program may face and outlines the part the VEWH has to play in addressing these challenges, whether it be to lead, partner or influence, and what outcomes the VEWH are working towards in doing so.

It also outlines the five priority areas where the VEWH will focus its efforts to tackle key challenges and work with program partners to evolve Victoria’s environmental watering program. These priority areas include supporting Traditional Owner self-determination, optimising environmental and community benefits, enhancing landscape-scale outcomes, demonstrating and communicating outcomes and adapting to climate change.

Heading into the next decade, Dr Loo believes that the VEWH’s culture of continuous improvement will help to ensure the success of the environmental watering program.

“Managing water for the environment is a young discipline and there is still much to learn. We will continue to adopt an exploratory, learn-by-doing approach as the program evolves. With the passion and dedication of all those involved in the environmental watering program and with the support of community members, we will continue our commitment to maintaining and improving the health of Victoria’s precious rivers and wetlands,” she said.

Read the 10-Year Strategy 2023 to 2033 [PDF File - 1.5 MB]