Resources Minister Scott Stewart this month announced funds for 17 organisations to work with farmers, graziers, Traditional Owners and their local communities on activities ranging from gully repair to fencing off and protecting native vegetation on stream banks as part of the State’s Natural Resources Recovery Program. More than half of those set to receive funds are regional NRM organisations.
“The condition of our soil and our native plants and trees is critical to Queensland’s food and fibre, resources and tourism industries and the good jobs they generate,” Mr Stewart said when announcing the funding.
“The Palaszczuk Government is committed to supporting regional Queensland jobs and its great lifestyle, which is why we’re investing in sustainable agricultural practices.”
“We understand how important sustainable agricultural practices are to our regions, and this funding will go towards reducing over-grazing and boosting native vegetation.”
The funds are the first instalment of a Budget commitment of $40 million over four years in the Natural Resources Recovery Program, which aims to increase the potential of the state’s natural resources and promote economic benefits in regional communities
The program builds on the success of the Natural Resources Investment Program, with a focus on sustainable land management and regional prosperity by investing in our land and vegetation resources, our regions, and science.
Chris Norman is the CEO of NRM Regions Queensland, itself a recipient of funding through the program.
“We know regional natural resource management has a huge impact on Queensland’s rural and remote communities,” Chris said, “as well as our urban centres.”
This new funding will support regional, community-driven programs such as landscape resilience to climate change, protecting vegetation communities at re-emerging springs in the Great Artesian Basin and promoting native trees in agricultural landscapes for biodiversity and landscape resilience.
“Each of Queensland’s 12 regional NRM organisations has worked with their communities to develop a plan for managing their region’s natural resources,” Chris said, “so as a sector, we are well placed to deliver successful onground activities, in partnership with the community.”
“And our work has a huge impact.”
“We know that for every dollar of state funding the regional NRM sector receives, we are able to leverage an additional investment of $4.20 in cash or in-kind support.” Chris said.
“Investing in regional NRM organisations has a multiplier effect for regional communities as well,” Chris Norman said. “Many regional NRM organisations outsource work to local businesses which supports local economies and generating employment in regional Queensland, where it is needed the most.”
“As well as creating jobs and leveraging additional support, our impact on the ground is significant.”
“In the past 12 months from the Natural Resources Improvement Program itself we have improved vegetation condition over 158,168ha. We’ve also worked with partners to improve land management practices over 410,977ha. We can report on these figures because, with the help of the Queensland Government, we’ve developed a framework to measure our impact across the state,” Chris said.
“And the new Natural Resources Recovery Program has committed to continue its investment in that State-Wide Indicators Framework with this latest funding announcement,” he said.
“As a sector, we’re looking forward to delivering on this natural resource program and reporting on the outcomes achieved in coming years,” Chris said.
View a full list of funding recipients here.