BURDEKIN DRY TROPICS NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2016-2026
30 improving the quality of water leaving catchments that feed into the GBR. The Great Barrier Reef Water Science Taskforce identified that climate change is the most significant long-term threat to the GBR and improving water quality now will help build the GBR’ s resilience and its ability to bounce back. The Taskforce identified that the greatest water quality risks to the reef are excess nutrients, fine sediments and pesticides( Great Barrier Reef Water Science Taskforce, and the Office of the Great Barrier Reef and Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, 2016).
Australian and Queensland governments’ investment makes it possible and achievable to understand natural resource values and threats, and to undertake innovative practices that lead to better management. However, it is critical that governments have strong connections with the region’ s community so that they are aware of regional priorities when making NRM policies and decisions. Our community has identified that the shifts in policy direction caused by changes in government, remain a barrier to long-term sustainable NRM. Changes to government priorities can lead to funding cuts that impact upon worthwhile projects, and result in a loss of valuable scientific and technical research and information.
Researchers
Our region hosts major research organizations, including the Australian Institute of Marine Science( AIMS), the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation( CSIRO), James Cook University( JCU) and other universities, and is strongly placed to undertake the research and monitoring needed to sustainably use and manage our natural resources. management practices and climate change. They also develop new technologies and practices to improve productivity and minimise impacts on receiving environments. Natural resource managers and the wider community in our region need easy access and exposure to the full breadth of NRM knowledge and expertise that is relevant to their potential activities. Advanced knowledge of threats that could adversely affect the amount and quality of water resources, soil productivity and viable habitat, enables proactive planning management, rather than reactive management which is often more costly in the long-term.
Rural land managers throughout our region have participated with on-farm research and monitoring. Continuing this alliance and providing feedback on results from research projects is valuable to developing a good local NRM knowledge base.
Land managers have commented on the need to more effectively share information and links between research outcomes, practical application and local on-ground NRM delivery. This could be achieved by engaging and maintaining land manager participation in monitoring and science in the paddock initiatives. There are also opportunities for industries to learn from each other’ s experiences. Opportunities also need to be provided to undertake strategic research over larger areas, rather than at a property scale to identify the potential implications at a landscape scale.
Collaborative learning. Recent innovation, developed by MBD Energy, Pacific Reef Fisheries and James Cook University, uses bioremediation to clean nutrient-laden waste water from aquaculture farming, while also creating economically valuable microalgae-based byproducts. Representatives from the cane industry are assessing the benefits of adapting this practice to address nutrient runoff from cane farms, although this will require funding for strategic investigation over a catchment area.
Within the region, this work focuses heavily on how land use activities impact the GBR. There are many research organisations in our region that have strong collaborative programmes for NRM and work closely with government and non-government organisations to help the community make use of this knowledge.
These institutions provide ongoing monitoring of known and predicted impacts to natural resources from development, land and water
PEOPLE CONNECTIONS