Author: Bronwyn Robertson

HB: Valuing Natural Areas

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Identify key natural assets and their values to improve management and identify opportunities for sustainable use eg. tourism.

Justification

By identifying what’s important in our region, we can better understand responsibilities for management, as well as opportunities for sustainable use. We can ensure important areas are managed well into the future.

Examples of Local Action

  • Identify key species and ecological communities, like EPBC listed ones. Use this information to support planning and management.
  • Promote and maintain existing walking trails in natural areas.
  • Develop cycle tours / bike trails, which showcase the unique natural environment.
  • Conduct local agriculture tours to showcase local industries eg. cane growing/harvesting, tram tours.
  • Use existing infrastructure like Lucinda Jetty as part of tourism ventures.
  • Protect sensitive areas with high biodiversity values (such as Hinchinbrook Island) from extensive development.

HB: Building Farmer Knowledge

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Develop a network of farmers who can support each other to build knowledge and skills, particularly around soil health.

Justification

There are many farmers in the southern Wet Tropics region who have built up considerable knowledge and invested in a range of practices to improve soil health. Developing a network which focuses on farmers teaching farmers will help ensure this valuable knowledge is available to support and encourage others.

Examples of Local Action

  • Conduct property visits to local farms to share knowledge about soil health practices and bring together a network of supportive farmers at a grass roots level.
  • Bring in professionals and experts from other regions, where required, to support and expand the soil health knowledge of local farmers.

HB: Aquatic Connectivity for Improved Fish Movement

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Improve the connectivity and function of aquatic ecosystems to facilitate movement of fish.

Justification

Aquatic ecosystems on the coastal plains are fragmented, resulting in barriers to fish movement to access areas for feeding and breeding. Multiple benefits could be achieved by improving aquatic connectivity, including for biodiversity and ecology, social and economic outcomes and water quality.

Examples of Local Action

  • Conduct a walking the landscape process to assess and prioritise locations for onground work, including managing connectivity, water quality and weed pressure.
  • Conduct a public communication campaign about coastal aquatic systems and their values.  Provide clear information about the various jurisdictional arrangements in coastal systems to avoid confusion over tenure and ensure people are aware of what they can do where.

HB: Traditional Owner Management of Land and Sea Country

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Active, meaningful and sustained participation of Traditional Owners at all levels and in all aspects of land and sea management.

Justification

With significant areas of traditional land and sea country recognised through Native Title Determinations and Indigenous Protected Area declarations, cross-cultural management of these areas ensures the ongoing protection of natural and cultural values, as well as significant social benefits to local communities.

Examples of Local Action

  • Development and expansion of Traditional Owner ecosystem services enterprises eg. native plant nursery, fee for service ecological fire management, cultural tourism, ranger programs.
  • Implementation of Girringun Region Indigenous Protected Areas Management Plan.
  • Development of management projects specifically for sea country.

HB: Sustainable Agricultural Production Under Changing Climate Conditions

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Conduct strategic planning and implement initiatives to build resilience in the agriculture sector, to ensure industries are well-prepared for a range of possible future scenarios, including changing climate and market conditions.

Justification

Strategic planning now can identify important ways to improve the preparedness and resilience of industries to cope with changing climate conditions, including impacts from drought, fire and flood.  Starting this process now can ensure local industries remain strong and viable, contributing to good economic, environmental and social outcomes.

Examples of Local Action

  • Investigate alternative uses for low productivity land at risk of inundation – possible opportunities for increased ecological outcomes in these areas and alternative incomes.
  • Develop and implement programs to increase/maintain productivity in high production areas and strategically identify areas suitable for sustainable production to offset land taken out of production.
  • Establish infrastructure to support cropping diversity eg. grain crops storage.
  • Ensure support for good succession planning is available across all industries.

DG: Information Kit for Residents

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Develop an information package which can be provided to residents throughout the shire, with details on the local environment and land management practices.

Why it is Important?

Increasing awareness of the local environment by providing easily accessible, reliable information will ensure better community understanding and stewardship. It will help locals and people new to the area ensure their actions are not having unintended impacts on the environment. An increased understanding can minimise potential damage to the environment, as well as support protection and restoration of natural areas.

Examples of Local Action

  • Coordinate with Douglas Shire Council to make available a landholder information kit to all shire residents, including information on weeds, feral animals, waterway management, wildlife, management of domestic pets, etc.

DG: Indigenous Rangers’ Training

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Training of indigenous rangers to manage the environment and natural landscapes, including incorporating traditional knowledge.

Why it is Important?

As the traditional custodians of the land, there are multiple benefits to be gained from empowering Traditional Owners to be active in caring for country.

Examples of Local Action

  • Work with local schools to support and encourage students to become involved in training programs for Indigenous rangers.
  • Establish a training program for Indigenous women rangers.

DG: Revegetation for Biodiversity and Employment

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Conduct revegetation in important areas to improve biodiversity outcomes and provide local tourism and employment opportunities.

Why it is Important?

Revegetation programs can provide both environmental and social outcomes. In addition to increasing available habitat and improving landscape connectivity for wildlife, coordinated revegetation programs can provide employment for locals, including Traditional Owners. A mechanism which could expand the revegetation activities in this area is ‘revegetation tourism’ – where tourists pay to be involved in local revegetation projects. This could provide additional resources for revegetation, while also contributing positively to local tourism.

Examples of Local Action

  • Investigate ‘revegetation tourism’, where tourists are able to contribute to important revegetation projects when they visit the area.  There is already an identified demand for this type of tourism, particularly from the corporate sector.
  • Investigate carbon / cassowary / reef credit programs to support large scale revegetation in the area.
  • Funding to employ local Indigenous people in revegetation and other natural resource management activities.

DG: Weed Management

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Strategic management of weeds, including vines and aquatic weeds, to reduce their impact on farms, waterways and native vegetation.

Why it is Important?

Disturbance from previous cyclones has resulted in an increase in the growth of vines in native vegetation. Keeping existing vegetation/forest free of weeds and invasive vines is the most cost effective approach to habitat protection. It is much easier to protect an existing tree than to grow a new one. Aquatic weeds are also a problem in the Douglas area, and can reduce water flow and contribute to flooding and water diversion.

Examples of Local Action

  • Conduct control of vines in areas previously affected by cyclones.
  • Control aquatic weeds, such as hymenachne, which can cause reduced water flow, diversion of waterways and erosion of banks.
  • Conduct control of weeds like navua sedge, which cause problems on farm land and disturbed areas.

DG: Soil Testing

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Conduct soil testing and mapping to provide better knowledge regarding selection of appropriate crops and improved fertiliser application.

Why it is Important?

Basing fertiliser application on the results of soil tests can result in more targeted fertiliser application, reducing costs and potential runoff of excess fertiliser. Selecting crops suited to various soil types can improve farm diversity and business management.

Examples of Local Action

  • Support landholders to conduct soil testing on farms and use the results for improved fertiliser application.

DG: Stabilising Waterways

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Stabilise creeks and rivers in the Mossman area using engineering and revegetation to prevent sediment loss into waterways.

Why it is Important?

Unstable and eroding waterways contribute sediment into local creeks and rivers and result in the loss of valuable topsoil from farms. Stabilising these areas will strengthen the banks and improve resilience, particularly during high flows and flood events. Using revegetation can also improve biodiversity outcomes.

Examples of Local Action

  • Ongoing programs for revegetation and stabilisation along Cassowary and Saltwater Creeks, the Mossman River and all other unstable waterways throughout the catchment.

DG: Traditional Owner Businesses

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Encourage the establishment of a range of businesses owned and managed by Traditional Owners, through support to increase capacity and business skills.

Why it is Important?

The social, cultural and economic benefits of running your own business are immense. Encouraging local Traditional Owners to set up their own business, through targeted business training and education programs, will bring multiple benefits to participants, their families and the whole community.

Examples of Local Action

  • Offer support to local Traditional Owners, such as business training courses or access to finance, to enable people to start up and manage their own business.