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What is Reef Rescue?
Reef Rescue is a five year program funded by the Australian Government aimed at improving the health of the Great Barrier Reef. The program gives financial incentives to farmers and landholders to improve their land management practices.
This program, begun in 2008 is part of a $200 million initiative of the Australian Government’s Caring for Our Country program.
 The majority of Reef Rescue funds are allocated to the Water Quality Incentive Grants ($146 M) which supports farmers and land managers to upgrade their farming practices to better manage their soil, and pesticide and nutrient inputs. Reef Rescue funding is managed through a collaboration between five coastal regional natural resource management (NRM) bodies and agricultural industry bodies. Terrain received $6.35 million for Reef Rescue projects during 2010/11 to assist farmers adopt better land management practices. For more information, download a fact sheet (937 Kb)
Terrain's role Terrain co-ordinates these funds for the Wet Tropics region to promote the uptake of land management practices that reduce sediment, nutrient and pesticide losses from farm land and increase the sustainability of farming. Terrain works in partnership with industry the groups: Canegrowers, Growcom, QDO, QFF, ACFA, Agforce, and has relationships with service providers such as BSES Ltd., Herbert Cane Productivity Services Ltd., Tully Cane Productivity Services Ltd., Innisfail/Babinda Productivity Services, and Mossman Area Productivity Ltd. Terrain also works with in partnership with catchment groups and local government to fund landscape rehabilitation work across multiple farms, which complements the improved practice efforts of individual farmers. Terrain does not have a role in the regulation of agriculture under the State's new Reef Protection legislation.
Progress to date The Impact Report details the achievements of the transitional Reef Rescue program (Year 1: 2008/09) and impacts of this program on water quality. A summary of Year 2: 2009/10 is available. The second year’s Impact Report will be completed by December 2010. Case studies of projects funded in the first and second round of funding and these reports are available from the link below. Previous Reef Rescue funding rounds (click on link).
For further information contact your local Extension Officer or, Fiona George, Program Officer for Sustainable Industries, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or on 0488 702 203. Links The Herbert Resource Information Centre have developed a Reef Rescue Portal to capture property information for all applications: Visit the Reef Rescue Mapping Portal (www.hric.org.au). The Reef Rescue Water Quality Improvement Grants Program is a joint partnership between:
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More about Terrain's position. 
