2.2 What needs to change?
Reduction of sediment from the BBB requires the management of groundcover and active gullies that are expanding and contributing sediment. Table 1 presents the recommended practices to manage groundcover and gullies for reduced sediment. The first two columns present the farm activity to which the practice focuses and the recommended practice( generally B class practices). The third column provides an indication of current practice level in the BBB. Data for this table were sourced from the NQ Dry Tropics Water Quality Improvement Plan grazing management workshop in 2015( Park & Dickson, 2015). More accurate data may become available in the near future through the new adoption level benchmarks being assessed by the Paddock to Reef team( DAF) across the GBR. The Reef Water Quality Risk Framework( informally known as the ABCD management practice framework) defines four classes of practice standards; D is below duty of care 4 or what is expected of a landholder as a steward of the land, C is duty of care, B is best practice and A is aspirational. A more in-depth discussion of current practices, minimum acceptable standard and improved practices is provided in APPENDIX A.
Table 1 Current and desirable management practices for sediment management( Park and Dickson, 2015)
Farm activity
Recommended practice
Current average practice in the BBB
Grazing Stocking rates consistent with long-term benchmarks C 5
Hillslope gullies
Alluvial gullies
Streambank erosion
Fencing to land type and provision of water points to ensure achieve end-of- dry season ground cover targets
Erosion prevention( fencing to achieve reduced / controlled livestock access and linear features management
Remediation of active gullies – revegetation and stabilisation( includes fencing and destocking)
Remediation of active gullies – includes and major earth works
Erosion prevention( fencing to achieve reduced / controlled livestock access and linear features management
Remediation of active gullies- minor works / management actions – no major reshaping
Remediation of active gullies- major works including re-shaping
Management of stock on frontage country to achieve end of dry season ground cover targets
Regeneration of riparian frontage( large waterways)
Engineering protection
Assumed at C class 6
C
D
Not assessed Not assessed – assumed at D
D
Not assessed
C-D 7
Assumed to be D class as most waterways only partially fenced
No established practice
4
Duty of Care is outlined in the Land Act( 1994)( Anon., 2017). Duty of care is also termed as‘ general environmental duties’ under the Environmental Protection Act( 1994) https:// www. ehp. qld. gov. au / management / planning-guidelines / legislation / general _ environmental _ duty. html. These minimal acceptable standards can be thought of as the expectations a society has in regard to the stewardship of land that a land manager is responsible for. Basically, it means that landholders should take all reasonable steps to avoid land being degraded.
5
At the workshop, 45 % of land was estimated by experts in C class and 35 % in D class
6
60 % was estimated to be in C class and 20 % in D class
7
30 % was estimated to be in C class and 30 % in D class
Landholders driving change: Exploring new incentives | 15