| Written by Deb Bass | ||||||
 Reef RescueReef 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, now in its last year, began in 2008 and 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. For more information, read our fact sheet: click here 492.04 Kb
Terrain's roleTerrain 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 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 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 dateThe Impact Report details the achievements of the transitional Reef Rescue program (Year 1: 2008/09) and impacts of this program on water quality. Summaries of Year's 2 and 3 are available. The second year’s Impact Report is in press. Summary of previous rounds For further information contact Deb Bass, Reef Rescue Coordinator, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 4095 7106, or 0437 731 081 or contact your local Extension Officer
The Reef Rescue Water Quality Improvement Grants Program is a joint partnership between:
|
