Terrain's negotiations with the Commonwealth Government were successful in obtaining $6.355M in Reef Rescue funds for 2010/11, a significant increase from the original offer of $5.42M. While this is a great improvement on the 2009/10 allocation of $4.92M, it is less than the $7.8M awarded in round 1. The negotiations also resulted in the inclusion of dairy and wet grazing this year. Unfortunately the proposed inclusion of a small forestry component was not supported by the Australian Government.

Reef Rescue funded activities resulting in water quality improvement are supported via a number of Terrain's programs including:

• long-term partnerships with key industries
• a major training component for nutrient and pesticide management
• grants to landholders for on-farm practice change.

These programs contribute to rolling out successful Reef Rescue projects via Water Quality Incentive Grants and Catchment Repair Incentive Grants.

Water Quality Incentive Grants

Terrain received 277 applications for water quality incentive grants, with the cane industry submitting the highest number of project applications, comprising 67% of the total number received. Horticulture and grazing industries submitted 15% and 10% respectively of the applications. This is more than twice the number of grazing project applications received last year due to the eligibility of wet grazing this round.

Assessment of the applications has just been completed and 206 or 74% of projects were funded, amounting to $2,850,476 in funding grants. A much higher proportion of projects were funded this year due to the number of small grants and a larger budget.

Catchment Repair Incentive Grants totaling $750,000 were available to agricultural industries for catchment repair projects in priority areas. Proposals were sought from individual and multiple farm partnerships ranging from $20,000 to $150,000. Twelve project proposals were received for catchment repair works including riparian plantings, erosion control and management of native vegetation. Nine of these projects were funded.

A summary of funded projects is available on our website.

Orazio Marino (grower), Mark Whitten (DEEDI field officer) and Lawrence Di Bella (Terrain) inspecting Reef Rescue funded sediment trapping equipment for installation on Orazio's cane farm near Ingham.