LOOKING after the Great Barrier Reef is a multi-faceted task, including some initiatives that take place on land.
Fencing grants are now available for improved land management, including protection from erosion and sedimentation.
Farmers and graziers in the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region are invited to apply for riparian fencing and off stream watering point grants.
Riparian refers to anything that exists alongside a river, such as riparian wetlands, habitats and trees.
The grants will assist with management of stock and pest animals, while also protecting riparian zones, wetlands and coastal vegetation from erosion and sedimentation, as a result of severe weather events.
The project is funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments, under the Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Fund.
Grants are available for riparian fencing and off-stream watering points on properties located within Reef Catchments’ natural resource management region, which stretches from Clairview to Heronvale (south of Bowen), with the top of the ranges forming the western boundary.
“In recent years, the region has experienced weather events that have led to widespread damage of natural and built infrastructure,” a Reef Catchments spokesperson said.
“Following these events, areas with healthy riparian zones benefited from the natural buffer and were most resilient against extreme volumes of water.
“Where riparian zones lacked this buffer, much greater investment in recovery and remediation were required.
“Protecting these riparian zones, along creeks and stream banks, will help farmers to improve their land management and prevent the loss of productive agricultural land.”
To download an application pack, visit www.reefcatchments.com.au.
Or call 4968 4200 for further information about the program.
About Reef Catchments
Reef Catchments is the Natural Resource Management (NRM) group for the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region.
It facilitates change and works for long-term solutions to sustain, protect and improve the region’s natural resources and environment, now and into the future.
The Reef Catchments team is skilled and comprises outcome-focused people, all dedicated to looking after the environment in the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region.
For more information visit www.reefcatchments.com.au.
