Reef
Rescue is a new and innovative program funded by the Australian
Government aimed at farmers, graziers and landholders.
It aims
to improve the health of Australia’s iconic Great Barrier
Reef by giving technical and financial incentives to improve land
management practices.
$3.5
million is available for works during 2008/2009 that improve
practices in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region. This region includes
the local government areas of Townsville, Charters Towers,
Burdekin, Barcaldine, Etheridge, Hinchinbrook, Palm Island, and the
Whitsundays.
The
program forms part of a $200 million initiative, which is a
component of the Australian Government's ‘Caring for our
Country’ program.
Who’s overseeing the
program?
Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM is responsible for co-ordinating
these funds to assist sugar cane and horticultural farmers, and
graziers to adopt land management practices aimed at reducing the
run-off of pesticides and sediments leaving their land and entering
the reef lagoon. Landholders wanting to improve the health of
wetlands in high priority areas will also be supported.
BDTNRM
is working in partnership with Canegrowers, AgForward, Growcom,
BSES Limited, Burdekin Productivity Services Limited, CSR and
DPI&F to deliver the Reef Rescue Program in the Burdekin Dry
Tropics Region.
Where you come in
If you
have an idea that can improve your land management practices to
reduce runoff of nutrients, pesticides and sediments from
agricultural land, we’d like to hear from you. Technical
support and financial incentives are available.
Grants
will be available to implement changes in many areas. Some examples
of these include:
- using fertilisers and nutrients more
efficiently;
- improving irrigation efficiency and
management;
- improving the health and structure of the
soil;
- improving the health and function of wetlands and stream
margins; and
- fencing and alternative watering points to improve
grazing practices.
Where to from here?
Expressions of Interest have now closed for sugar cane
and horticulture. It is anticipated that Round 2 of Reef Rescue for
sugar cane and horticulture will open early in 2009.
For further information on grazing and wetlands please click on
the links below.
