A win for the reef is a win for farmers
Great Barrier Reef funding
A new $500 million package to help protect the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area recently announced by the Federal Government has been welcomed by leading landscape rehydration and regenerative agriculture advocate The Mulloon Institute (TMI).
“The Mulloon Institute welcomes the funding, particularly the money targeting improved water quality, reduced fertiliser use, promotion of landscape repair and prevention of sediment runoff. This funding is a win for the reef and a win for the farmers,” said TMI’s Chairman Gary Nairn AO, a former Howard Government Minister.
The government funding will tackle damaging pests affecting the reef, reduce agricultural pollution and mitigate the impacts of climate change, and importantly invest just over $200 million towards helping farmers prevent runoff into the reef.
“I am pleased to hear Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg said that the government will work closely with farmers to modify farming practices to protect the reef from sediment, nitrogen and pesticide runoff which damages coral and encourages crown-of-thorn starfish,” Mr Nairn said.
Cam Wilson from The Mulloon Institute instructing farmers in northern Queensland on landscape rehydration techniques.
Through its work on the Mulloon Community Landscape Rehydration Project (MCLRP) in southern New South Wales, The Mulloon Institute is uniquely positioned to deliver advice on re-establishing the natural function, fertility and resilience of agricultural landscapes.
The MCLRP provides a unique model for holistic landscape repair that can be adapted by communities across Australia to heal and rehabilitate the land and turn it into stable, resilient and productive landscapes.
The Institute is partnering with the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network to develop guidelines for sustainable but profitable and productive farming and was named NSW State Landcare Champions in the Australian Government’s ‘Excellence in Sustainable Farm Practices’ award.
It is currently working with farmers in Far North Queensland to give them practical tools for regenerating grazing lands through a series of workshops focusing on soil rehydration and erosion control.
The workshops are being run through TMI’s educational arm Mulloon Consulting, Contracting & Certifying (MCCC), in collaboration with NQ Dry Tropics NRM.
MCCC General Manager Carolyn Hall recognises the funding’s potential for improved reef health and improved agricultural productivity in the region.
“Funding like this directly to farmers is a great strategy that will actually make a difference to the volume of sediment reaching the Great Barrier Reef,” Mrs Hall said.
“MCCC can provide farmers with practical advice about on-ground actions that reduce the amount of sediment running off their properties,” she said.
The next landscape rehydration workshop in Queensland will be held on 6-7 June at Worona Station. It will cover designing a property based approach to water management with hands-on construction of landscape features to reduce run-off and prevent gully erosion. Contact Sam Skeat at NQ Dry Tropics for more details on (07) 4799 3500 or via sam.skeat@nqdrytropics.com.au
For more information on The Mulloon Institute’s landscape rehydration work please visit https://themullooninstitute.org
For specific property advice visit http://www.mulloonconsulting.com.auor contact MCCC via info@themullooninstitute.orgor 0419 099 894.