QUEENSLAND’s agricultural industries have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work with regional natural resource management (NRM) bodies and conservation groups to help preserve the Great Barrier Reef (GBR).
Farmers are part of the Reef Alliance partnership that recognises and works with land managers to protect and maintain the value of the GBR.
The MOU allows:
- The advocacy and promotion of aspirations as they relate to the sustainable use of, and impact on, the Great Barrier Reef catchment and lagoon.
- To establish an agreed code of conduct that supports constructive discussion concerning agricultural best management practice and land use and the targeted improvement in catchment and Reef water quality and ecosystem health.
QFF president Stuart Armitage said the Reef Alliance was an effective and ground-breaking development in catchment landscape management in Australia.
“The Reef Alliance brings together industry and regional NRM bodies and the conservation sector with a common goal of securing the future health of the GBR,” Mr Armitage said.
“This is achieved by improving land manager knowledge and understanding of the benefits of adopting best management practice.
“The partnership of rural industry, NRM bodies and WWF - Australia provides a mechanism for stakeholders to lead and coordinate an adaptive program of land use change improvement.”
Regional Groups’ Collective chair Mike Berwick said the Reef Alliance had already delivered outcomes for the GBR.
“The success of the past eight years has come via Reef Alliance member projects supporting rural land managers to change practices and improve farming systems, in turn generating improved water quality and business viability,” Mr Berwick said.
“This experience and capacity in delivering program outputs and outcomes are of real value to investors and land managers.
“By members sharing information, resources and ideas, and mixing their respective skill the Reef Alliance can deliver behavioural change in land management and communities.”
Mr Armitage said signing the MOU would continue Reef Alliance members’ commitment to adopting a collaborative approach to issues and deliver the water quality outcomes the community expects for the GBR.
MOU signatories are: AgForce, Australian Banana Growers’ Council, Burnett Mary Regional Group, CANEGROWERS, Cape York Natural Resource Management Ltd, Fitzroy Basin Association, Growcom, NQ Dry Tropics Ltd, Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation, Queensland Farmers’ Federation, Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsunday Isaac) Limited, Regional Groups Collective, Terrain NRM and WWF – Australia.
