1 Introduction
The Department of Environment and Science, through its Queensland Reef Water Quality Program, has contracted NQ Dry Tropics to work with industry, landholders and communities to design and implement one of two Major Integrated Projects( MIPs). The objective of the Landholders Driving Change( LDC) MIP project is to work closely with landholders in the Bowen, Broken, Bogie( BBB) catchments through 2018-2021 to tackle erosion and improve land management, productivity and Reef water quality in this region.
This“ Exploring New Incentives – Scoping and Trialling Incentives and institutional arrangements” activity is one of five activity areas 1 within the LDC project. The“ Exploring New Incentives” activity has four objectives, three 2 of which are included in the scope of works and this report:
1. Build on previous work to establish a comprehensive understanding of financial drivers, opportunities and constraints to adoption of improved practices for water quality and landscape remediation and understand landholder perceptions of these issues in the Bowen Broken Bogie( BBB). Identify incentive options( financial and non-financial to be pursued through the LDC project.
2. Consider potential institutional arrangements that are realistic in the short term to support ongoing improved practice adoption and landscape remediation over the medium to long term.
3. Scope the range of existing services and incentives available through other initiatives that could provide additional opportunities for landholders in the BBB to access support for the adoption of improved management practices.
To address the three objectives in scope for this study, the project has: �
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Reviewed relevant land management practices( grazing and gully remediation) and analysed the public and private benefits of practice change;
Collated and assessed potential incentives to facilitate adoption of desirable land management practices;
Reviewed and summarised learnings from previous incentive programs; and � Summarised incentive programs currently available to BBB landholders.
This has been primarily a desk-based analysis, with findings and emerging recommendations tested with science experts, BBB landholders and the LDC project panel through a series of
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The other four activity areas are: 1) BBB grazier support; 2) landscape remediation; 3) influencing other land managers; and 5) policy engagement
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The fourth, which is not included in the scope of this study, is to canvas and trial the most promising incentive options and supporting institutional arrangements that can be applied in the BBB to support accelerated adoption of management practices with water quality outcomes, support long term arrangements for maintenance of on ground works and promote improved operational flexibility and viability within the BBB grazing community.
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