Annual report 2013/14

Terrain NRM

Annual Report 2013/14

Natural Resource Management

Terrain NRM – Wet Tropics Annual Report 2013/14 Page 2

Message from the Chair & CEO Dear Members,

It has been a busy year yet again and we wish to thank

Terrain’s members, partners and the Wet Tropics

community for all their efforts across the landscape.

The Board and Terrain staff have worked through a

challenging year of funding and staffing upheavals,

while keeping major planning efforts on track,

providing local support, technical advice, grants and

project funding and project outcomes.

Welcome to our new look Annual Report. Keeping the

document simple and published on line is a deliberate

cost saving strategy approved by the Board. We have

tried to provide you with information about how

natural resource management (NRM) funding is

structured for us, how it is spent and for what

outcomes in the Wet Tropics. Funding arrangements

can be a complex story to tell and we hope this report

helps to illustrate that story. It is important for us to

explain that funding is tightly structured against the

priorities of government and this has impacts on

capacity to focus on the wider range of matters

concerning the Wet Tropics community.

The start of the 2013/2014 financial year saw a

completely new set of contractual arrangements with

the Queensland and Australian governments for

delivery of regional NRM outcomes. The lead up to

this last year was a nervous one for us, with all existing

programs coming to an end and a host of new

arrangements to be negotiated. Terrain started a new

organisational structure on 1 July 2013 and due to

funding changes said a sad farewell to a range of staff.

We then embarked on a process to channel more

funding through to community, farmers and partner

organisations. The challenge is now to ensure we

have a viable team that can provide maximum and

valued support across the Wet Tropics while also

allocating funds directly to groups, partner

organisations and landholders.

With ongoing changes to funding, Terrain will continue

to be challenged to support the Wet Tropics

community with less resources.

Indeed, Terrain learnt from the May 2014 Australian

government budget announcement that further

reductions will be implemented in the 2014/15 year

and onwards. These funding changes will see further

funds disbursed to the local community for priority

NRM projects. In the 2013/14 year, Terrain

channelled 64% of its income directly to community

groups, partner organisations and landholders. In this

coming year, this percentage will increase as we

introduce a new community grants program, with

funding available to June 2018.

This past year has seen the spotlight continue to focus

on the Wet Tropics region for landuse impacts on the

Great Barrier Reef. Terrain continues to respond to

this challenge through a range of programs, such as

Reef Water Quality Grants, preparing a Water Quality

Improvement Plan and putting significant effort into

government processes such as the GBR Strategic

Assessment and Reef long term planning.

The Terrain team has invested significant time into the

early stages of the revised NRM plan to ensure it will

be more than a document with a long list of actions.

The new format NRM Plan will be ‘on-line’ and

accessible, updateable and a key tool for tracking

progress. We have learned a lot over the past years

about NRM Plans and need to ensure it can work at

different scales and focus our efforts on priorities.

This will be even more critical, with funding

constraints.

The draft of the Water Quality Improvement Plan has

required a major effort to synthesise all the available

science on water quality issues in the Wet Tropics.

Terrain has worked for many years to gain recognition

of the importance of catchment health as part of

water quality planning. One of the critical outcomes

of the WQIP has been to integrate catchment health

and management of pollutants such as nitrogen,

pesticide and sediment. This means we have a

complete picture of priority catchments and actions

across the nine basins in the region. We look forward

to a finalised Water Quality Improvement Plan in late

2014 and a draft NRM plan in May 2015, both

important tools to help us work together in the

coming years.

We hope the plans will reflect the Wet Tropics

community values and views and provide an

important basis to influence government policy and

funding. Terrain is working harder than ever both in

the Wet Tropics and with Canberra and Brisbane to

influence the long term decisions that impact our

region.

Regards, Mike and Carole


Terrain Board Terrain's Board looks at the big picture, carries out regular assessment of Terrain's community based NRM delivery and performance and guides it towards achieving its goals. The Board of Terrain is appointed to:

provide purpose, leadership, direction and a strategic vision

ensure all legal and financial responsibilities are met and that finances are sound and compliant with legal requirements

ensure appropriate risk management frameworks are in place

select and oversee the performance of the Chief Executive Officer

evaluate and ensure its own effectiveness

The Board of Directors for 2013/2014 are:

Chair - Mike Berwick

Director Industry - Keith Noble

Director Rangelands - Ken Atkinson

Director Indigenous - Joann Schmider

Director Conservation - Peter Rowles

Director World Heritage - Russell Watkinson

Director Catchment & Community- Ken Keith

Director Indigenous - Stephen Purcell

Director Local Government - Julia Leu

Director Coastal and Marine - Ryan Donnelly

Go to www.terrain.org.au for more information about our

Board of Directors.

Terrain Staff Terrain's key role is to support implementation of the Regional NRM priorities by supporting action, facilitating funding and integrating effort to achieve sustainable communities and ecosystems in Far North Queensland. The Terrain team for 2013/2014 were:

Chief Executive Officer, Carole Sweatman

Manager Corporate Services, Michelle Nusse

Manager Community Partnerships, Penny Scott

Manager NRM Strategy, David Hinchley (to Mar)

Corporate Communications, Kathryn Dryden

Corporate Services Team

Kelly O’Kane

Colleen McIntosh

Vicki Marmara

Marin Haldane

Bronwen Hickman

Community Partnerships Team

Peter Bradley

Steve Bailey

Evizel Seymour

Jacqui Richards

Bob Stewart

Tony O’Malley

Lyle Johnson

Bart Dryden

Michael Nash

Fiona George (Regional Landcare Facilitator)

Reef Team

Deb Bass

Deb Harrison

Maureen Colgrave

Michael Waring

Bruce Corcoran

NRM Strategy and Policy, Water Quality Planning

Gary Searle

Ian Sinclair

Fiona Barron

Gavin Kay

Steve McDermott

Sharlene Blakeney

Projects/Short Term

Alex Knott, Evelyn Maitland, Di Mauloni, Sue Medway, Don Pollock, Sam Shaw, Neil Sing, Claire Tierney.

Terrain’s Mission

To make a difference by inspiring and enabling action to improve the health, wellbeing and lasting value of Wet Tropics landscapes and communities.

http://www.terrain.org.au/


The Wet Tropics Region


Community Financials

11.3%

Overhead

25Incoming investor

contracts

34Outgoing contracts

with partners

287Grants to

landholders &

community groups

64%Expenditure to

Community Groups, Partners & Landholders


Program Delivery Australian Government National Landcare Programme, Regional Delivery

The Australian Government Regional Delivery investment in the Wet Tropics funds projects which meet the National

Landcare Program objectives across both the Environment and Agriculture portfolios. Funding for 2013/2014 was

$437,700 Agriculture projects and $1,021,000 Environment projects. This is the first year of a five year program.

The five funded projects also meet the five year goals for Terrain outlined in its Strategic Plan and the established

NRM priorities for the Wet Tropics region and its community. Terrain’s approach is to work with the community and

partners to come together on land use planning, water management, biodiversity conservation, culture and

knowledge and the future sustainability of industries like agriculture, tourism, fisheries and forestry.

Highlights from 2013/2014 are summarised in the table below.

Agriculture Portfolio

Innovative and Sustainable Agriculture in the Wet Tropics

Supported 61 farmers across the region in

relation to improved management practice adoption and innovation.

12 innovation trials designed and/or implemented in collaboration with various research and extension partners across the region.

Assessed progress and raised awareness of new techniques at the Cassowary Creek erosion control trial site field day with an international consultant and 20 local stakeholders.

Participated in 10 policy/planning, advisory activities and scientific forums.

Continued to build strategic relationships on innovation with researchers and industry including Herbert Cane Productivity Services, SRA, JCU, QDAFF, CSIRO, with Eco-Ganics (Eco Bananas), Greenbelt Fertilizers, MAI Australia, Kiko Technology, Regen-Ag, Mas Humus, Natural Grow, King Brown Technology and SITA.

Initiated and convened a multi-stakeholder Innovative Agriculture Steering Group, bringing together industry, farmers, researchers, extension professionals and agronomists.

Regional Landcare Facilitator (RLF)

Assisted 834 landholders and community group

members through 20 events.

Engaged 200 people in activities/events coordinated directly by the RLF.

Facilitated the inaugural two-day Soil Health Forum in Far North Queensland, in partnership with Northern Gulf Resource Management Group– attracting more than 200 farmers, many of whom provided exceptionally positive feedback.

Supported five community members to the attend State Landcare Conference.


Australian Government National Landcare Programme, Regional Delivery

Environment Portfolio

Conserving and protecting Wet Tropics species and ecosystems

Developed a management map for Turbina in

Mabi area and coordinated multi-partner on-ground survey and eradication program.

Brokered partnership with Queensland Trust for Nature to enable community acquisition and protection of Lot 66, a 24.5 ha parcel of land in a strategic cassowary corridor – this achievement is the culmination of nearly seven years of planning and engagement in the Mission Beach area.

Undertook ‘Fire needs analysis of mahogany glider habitat’ to determine the opportunities for improving ecological fire regimes, including building a geodatabase for analysis.

Supported review of the Mahogany Glider Recovery Plan including developing a strategic framework for the recovery plan actions, a five year implementation plan and record keeping and reporting tool to enable the group to document actions and evaluate progress.

Supporting the Wet Tropics community

Provided technical assistance and support to 31

community NRM groups and local alliances.

Hosted workshop by Ian Ploughman on Community Group Knowledge, Health and Succession, with five groups participating.

Developed and trialled Group Health Diagnostics tool for self-administration by groups seeking to identify their goals, strengths, and areas requiring improvement.

Coordinated and facilitated an inaugural meeting of the Cardwell/Murray Alliance, which brings together the relevant stakeholders for information sharing and planning.

Supporting Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples

Provided support and advice to 13 Traditional

Owner (TO) groups across the Wet Tropics.

Provided technical assistance and support to Girringun Aboriginal Corporation to secure and deliver a five-year mahogany glider monitoring program with Powerlink Queensland.

Brokered meaningful TO participation in the review of the Great Barrier Reef Strategic Assessment and the Cassowary Coast Planning Scheme. 30 individuals from 15 organisations attended a workshop, half of these from TO groups.

Provided facilitation and logistic support to Buru Aboriginal Corporation to run two community planning meetings aimed at identifying living and working on country opportunities.

Supported five TO groups with local planning processes to realise on-country aspirations.

“The network that Terrain provides gives us a

great opportunity to start sharing skills and

knowledge around working on country

between groups right across the Wet Tropics.

I am always interested in what I can learn

from other groups and how I can use this in

my own area.”


Queensland Government Natural Resource Management Program

The Queensland Government Natural Resource Management Program invested $815,000 in the Wet Tropics during 2013/14 across three projects shown below. The Program is funded by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines. Terrain’s focus is to bring partners and community together to maximise the outcomes from this funding, securing additional local investment and adding value to existing strategic initiatives and targets. This is the first year of a three year investment program from the Queensland government into NRM in the Wet Tropics.

In the 2013/14 year Terrain directly funded 17 community groups and partners totalling $382,140. Projects were

focussed on weed and pest management and water quality projects.

Water Quality Improving Water Quality from the Wet Tropics Rivers to the Great Barrier Reef is the subject of a range of funding programs. This project is focused on waterway and wetland restoration through devolved grants to the region’s Traditional Owners. Achievements for 2013/14 were:

Funded eight Traditional Owner water quality projects, totalling $255,440, delivering a range of on-ground works over the coming three years including:

10.4 hectares of riparian revegetation.

2kms of cattle exclusion fencing protecting 10 hectares of riparian habitat.

12 hectares of management of invasive species in wetland and riparian areas.

Pests and Weeds Pest and weeds and are one of the greatest threats to the

natural assets of the region and the productivity and viability

of primary industries. The project delivers local, targeted

action on priority pests and weeds of the Wet Tropics.

Achievements for 2013/14 were:

Seven local action weed control projects which have delivered 79 hectares of on- ground weed control (Hymenachne, Thunbergia, Giant Sensitive Weed, Singapore Daisy, Navua Sedge, Turbina, and Pond Apple).

Co-investment in three feral pig management programs, over a total of 145,000 ha with 1,123 pigs removed.

Surveyed 15,000 ha in the Upper Herbert for Siam weed, mapping locations for targeted treatment.

240 ha of surveillance for Hiptage to enable planning for treatment in coming period. Support to dedicated task force in Mossman to undertake control activities focusing on outliers to minimise spread.

Sustainable Agriculture

This project works directly with farmers to improve farm efficiency, resilience and innovation.

During 2013/14 Terrain delivered an intensive extension and shared learning program called “Digging Deeper”.

The project completed six full day on-farm training sessions and follow up extension support. The on-farm training focused on the needs identified by the farmers themselves. 27 famers from a wide range of industries (cane, tropical fruit, bananas, beef, cut flowers) participated in the program with 3,581 ha adoption of improved practices.

“Thanks! It was a great day again

and I learned a lot in what was a

very important subject for a

sustainable horticulture business

in our part of the world.” (Digging

Deeper farmer)


Australian Government Reef Programme Water Quality Grants and Extension

In April 2013, the Australian Government announced the Reef Programme, funding land management practice change

to improve the quality of water flowing into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. In partnership with landowners, industry

bodies, government, researchers and other Reef NRM regions, Terrain NRM coordinates the delivery of the Reef

Programme for the Wet Tropics region. Total funding for the three years 2013 - 2016 is $16,500,000.

The funding is to provide incentive grants, training and extension to farmers aimed at reducing the discharge of

nutrients, sediment and pesticides into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. The Programme works directly with

landholders within the Great Barrier Reef catchments to increase voluntary uptake of improved land management

practices. During 2013/2014, the following grants were awarded across the Wet Tropics. In addition, contracts for

training and extension across cane, bananas and grazing were being finalised for delivery in 2014 – 2016.

Catchment Banana Cane Dairy Multicrop Total

Daintree/Mossman 8 8

Barron 2 11 13

Upper Barron 1 8 9

Mulgrave and Trinity Inlet

19 19

Russell 2 18 20

Johnstone 17 30 2 1 50

Tully/Murray 8 25 2 35

Herbert 61 4 65

Total 28 171 6 14 219

Grants Total (exc GST) $401,093 $2,536,484 $51,574 $241,686 3,230,837

% funded 85% 70% 75% 100% 72%

Average Grant $14,324 $14,833 $8,595 $17,263 14,752


Australian Government Wet Tropics Natural Resource Management Plan

Funding of $607,639 over three years (2013 – 2016) has been provided by the Australian Government’s Clean Energy

Future Fund to review the Wet Tropics NRM Plan. The funding is to incorporate climate change adaptation and

mitigation strategies into the Plan. Terrain has taken the opportunity to more comprehensively review the NRM Plan,

ensuring it is action-oriented and flexible, and will provide tools to enable the Wet Tropics community to better plan

for NRM and manage the impacts and opportunities associated with climate change. The new on-line plan is due to

be launched in May 2015.

NRM Plan Logo Competition

Terrain held a competition for the NRM Plan logo to encourage engagement and community ownership of the NRM Plan. Yungaburra’s Gabi Sturman inspired the design of the final logo. It is the image we hope people will associate with the NRM Plan.

“My design visually represents the

interconnectedness of the

rainforest, land, rivers and ocean,

nestled within a pair of caring

hands. The seedling is

representative of growth and

refers to rainforest, revegetation

and agriculture alike. The brown

ripples radiating from the seedling

signifies the land and the blue

represents rivers which flow to the

sea.

Gabi said, “This landscape is held

within a pair of cupped hands, a

universal symbol for caring and

community.

Highlights for 2013/2014

Worked with James Cook University and CSIRO to complete the synthesis of climate change issues and impacts in the Wet Tropics. This provides the foundation for climate adaptation actions and mitigation in the NRM Plan.

Development of an adaptive evidence library as the core for the NRM Plan.

Thorough review of background documentation, technical information and existing plans. This information builds the core of the NRM knowledge hub.

A Strategic Offsets Investment Corridors (SOIC) project (funded by the Queensland government and supported by the NRM Planning team) provided a comprehensive basis for ongoing NRM spatial prioritisation work.

Completion of stage one of the Community Engagement Strategy including establishing an NRM Plan website, flyers, media releases, radio interviews, social media and direct consultation.


Australian Government Reef Programme Water Quality Improvement Plan

The Australian Government Reef Programme invested

$963,585 to develop a whole of Wet Tropics Water

Quality Improvement Plan. Terrain is working with

research organisations, government agencies,

traditional owners, industry and other regional

stakeholders to develop the Water Quality

Improvement Plan (WQIP). The WQIP will be finalised

in late 2014. More than 50% of the funding will be

used to further refine existing science and undertake

new work to fill critical knowledge gaps for the WQIP

process.

WQIPs are a vital part of the Australian and

Queensland Government's Reef Water Quality

Protection Plan (Reef Plan). The 2013 Reef Plan states

that its long term goal is “to ensure that by 2020 the

quality of water entering the reef from broad scale

land use has no detrimental impact on the health and

resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.”

A WQIP is designed to identify the main issues

impacting waterways and the coastal and marine

environment from land-based activities, and to

identify and prioritise management actions that will

halt or reverse the trend of declining water quality

within a region.

The Wet Tropics’ WQIP will:

describe the current state of water quality issues in the region

identify the priority water quality and ecosystem health issues for the region (in terms of pollutants, sources and hotspots for generation and delivery)

define end of catchment pollutant load targets to maintain the coastal and marine values of the region, and

incorporate an implementation strategy for managing water quality in the region and achieving the proposed targets

The WQIP will also support the identification, and

ultimately implementation, of actions that will aim to

address these issues in consultation with government,

industry and community groups.

WQIPs are non-statutory natural resource

management plans. They are not a set of rules or

regulations; they are a plan to help guide specific

actions and investment, based on the latest science.

They also incorporate aspirations from and inform the

revision of community-based catchment plans.

Water Quality Improvement Plans help to protect

catchments, wetlands and marine environments. A

decline in water quality can have impacts on water for

human consumption, tourism, agriculture, fishing,

industry and recreation.

The WQIP will help to provide solutions to address

issues of poor or declining water quality in the region

with clear goals and objectives for managers from

many sectors, with benefits for the whole community

in the longer term.

WQIPs also help build long-term partnerships

necessary for the implementation of the Plan.


Australian and Queensland Governments Flood Recovery

This project provided $505,000 to undertake waterway restoration work in

response to damage associated with Cyclone Oswald in the 2012/13 wet

season. The project contracted via the Queensland government had the

primary aim of delivering projects through the Cairns, Cassowary Coast

and Herbert River Improvement Trusts to conduct stream bank

stabilisation, riparian restoration and remove debris from waterways to

improve water flow and prevent bank damage. Achievements were:

345 metres of stream bank was stabilised through engineering work.

3 hectares of revegetation was undertaken.

debris removed from over 2 kilometres of stream bank to improve stream flows.

Other Programs

Queensland Government – Practice Change and Innovation

Terrain was supported during the 2013/14 by Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAFF) to lead

and develop a Wet Tropics wide approach to agricultural training and extension. Funds for 2013/14 were $50,000.

Terrain is facilitating a QDAFF funded project to validate variable rate technology with two vegetable growers on the

Atherton Tablelands. The project will be to validate/optimise efficacy of crop sensing technology and yield

monitoring. Funding of $110,000 over 18 months. This funding will be provided directly to landholders.

Herbert Water Quality Project

The Herbert Catchment Water Quality Monitoring Project is funded by multiple investors implementing a regional

integrated water monitoring program. With more than 16 stakeholders directly engageed in the process, including

industry bodies, government, researchers, local government and landholders, the project measures the impact of

practice change on water quality and promotes knowledge sharing and partnerships. Funding for 2013/2014 was

$215,000, with the majority of funds providing technical support and monitoring.

Project Catalyst and Game Changer

Terrain is works in partnership with Reef Catchments NRM, NQ Dry Tropics NRM and the Cane industry to deliver two

projects working directly with cane growers to test, trail, validate and adopt new and innovative practices to improve

water quality. Project Catalyst is in its fifth year and partners with WWF and the Coca-Cola foundation. The ‘Game

Changer’ project is supporting twenty growers to develop: crop, nutrient and weed management plans and on

selected projects, undertake Rainfall simulation and Economic analysis. In partnership with Herbert Cane Productivity

Services, Tully Productivity Services and Mossman Agricultural Services.

Feral Pig Management Program

The Integrated Feral Pig Program came to a close in 2013/14, which is a disappointing outcome for a highly successful

program. The Australian, Queensland and local governments, industry bodies and landholders worked collectively to

reduce the impacts of feral pigs on the local economy and landscape. It provided a strategic and sustained approach

to control methods, research and coordination. Terrain will continue to work with partners to re-establish the funding

for the program. Income in 2013/14 was $167,000 of which 86% went to contracted pig control.

Documents

Annual report 2013/14