The Dirt Issue 3 | Page 15

GRAZING SERVICES

OVERVIEW

Grazing services focused on activities that targeted widespread practice change and the most significant shifts in Paddock to Reef management practices, with substantial co-investment from graziers. The goal was to achieve sustainable sediment reduction, particularly by addressing hillslope erosion.

The biggest reductions in sediment came from improving land management— specifically, shifting land from poor( D condition) to fair( C condition), and from fair( C condition) to good( B condition) practices. The primary aim was to provide incentives and extension support to help graziers adopt practices that support long-term improvements toward A or B condition land.

A range of options was available to reduce fine sediment export from hillslope erosion into the GBR, including fencing, altering water distribution, spelling paddocks, and adopting rotational grazing. Due to the strong link between gully formation and poor grazing land management practices, small-scale gully remediation and landscape rehydration activities were also integrated into the grazing projects.

To accelerate practice change and increase knowledge adoption, engagement was tailored to meet individual landholder needs through peer-to-peer training, field days, visits to demonstration sites, and training workshops. These events encouraged networking.

Traditional Owner engagement best practices were incorporated into program activities, including culturally appropriate awareness-raising activities to build trust and communication lines between program stakeholders.

Water infrastructure

104km pipeline

141 water troughs

66 water tanks( ranging in size from 10- 50,000L)

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