O'Reagain, Joe (2011) Voluntary Land Management Agreements in the Fitzroy Basin; a Novel Approach to Engaging Land Managers. In: [Presented at the 2011 Australasia-Pacific Extension Network Conference]. From: 2011 Australasia-Pacific Extension Network Conference: Hitting a Moving Target – Sustaining landscapes livelihoods and lifestyles in a changing world, 28-30 November 2011, Armidale, NSW, Australia.

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Abstract

Improving the water quality of the Great Barrier Reef lagoon is the major focus of spending within reef catchments through the Australian Government’s Reef Rescue initiative as part of the Caring for our Country Program. The Fitzroy Basin Association (FBA) is applying a novel approach to engaging land managers to improve land condition, reduce sediment loss and achieve long term practice change.

Conventionally, many incentive schemes for land managers in reef catchments have only provided financial assistance for improved property infrastructure, with no ongoing engagement to aid in skill development and practice change. The FBA has recently developed a longer term project framework, known as the Voluntary Land Management Agreement (VLMA), with the aim of supporting land managers within central Queensland to restore grazing land condition and reduce soil loss. The project teaches land holders to accurately assess land condition and carrying capacity to achieve measurable improvements over a period of five years.

Projects are carried out on areas identified as being in poor land condition and at high risk of soil loss. Various recovery methods have been applied in projects developed to date including ripping, seeding, spelling, fencing and the redistribution of stock watering points. Before commencing projects, land holders develop yearly targets for land condition, ground cover and end of dry season biomass. Over the period of the contract they then receive 50% of the total cost of the on-ground works through annual payments made upon the attainment of these yearly targets.

In the initial stages of the project, land holders are provided training to accurately measure and record land condition, match forage supply with demand, and obtain the tools required to monitor and report on project progress. Such reporting is required throughout the duration of the five year project agreement in order for land holders to receive target payments. Participants are required to complete and submit annual end of wet season forage budgeting and end of dry season monitoring, with photo monitoring sites used to capture on-ground improvement.

It is hoped that through its extended period of engagement and periodic incentive payments, the VLMA framework will be more effective in achieving improvements in land condition, producer knowledge and long term practice change than conventional shorter term projects.

Item ID:	82875
Item Type:	Conference Item (Poster)
Keywords:	Land condition, pasture management, engagement, practice change
Date Deposited:	27 Jun 2024 01:39
FoR Codes:	30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3002 Agriculture, land and farm management > 300203 Agricultural land planning @ 50% 30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3002 Agriculture, land and farm management > 300202 Agricultural land management @ 50%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1806 Terrestrial systems and management > 180604 Rehabilitation or conservation of terrestrial environments @ 60% 18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1806 Terrestrial systems and management > 180605 Soils @ 20% 10 ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL PRIMARY PRODUCTS > 1005 Pasture, browse and fodder crops > 100503 Native and residual pastures @ 20%
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