NRM Expansion Program

NQ Dry Tropics is gearing up to roll out three new projects tackling weeds, feral animals, and land condition —  in partnership with landholders, Traditional Owners, and local councils.

Worth more than $10 million, the projects are being delivered under the Queensland Government’s $117.84 million Natural Resource Management Expansion Program (NRMEP), delivered in partnership with NRM Regions Queensland.

The projects — Climate-Ready Coastlines, Climate-Resilient Rangelands, and Fighting Invasive Species Together —  will focus on a range of actions to protect threatened coastal and inland ecosystems, and improve the condition of grazing landscapes in the Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM region, which covers 8 per cent of Queensland.

NQ Dry Tropics CEO, Dr Scott Crawford, said the investment demonstrated strong government backing for NQ Dry Tropics, and its sister natural resource management (NRM) organisations across Queensland.

Pictured above is the official NRM Expansion Program launch. From left are: Dr Crawford, Minister for Natural Resources Dale Last, NRM Regions Queensland CEO Chris Norman and NQ Dry Tropics Chair Les Tyrell.

Dr Crawford said protecting the environment was a shared responsibility, and the projects delivered under the NRMEP would be practical, science-based, and founded on strong community partnerships.

“For example, the $1.9 million Fighting Invasive Species Together project will strengthen  collaboration between land managers and Traditional Owners to address the threat of feral animals and invasive weeds, using fire as a management tool,” Dr Crawford said.

“Project activities will be delivered in partnership with four Indigenous Ranger groups — MinggaMingga Land and Sea Rangers (Palm Island), Yunbenun Land and Sea Rangers (Magnetic Island), Gudjuda Rangers (Lower Burdekin) and Girringun Rangers.

“The $4.4 million Climate-Ready Coastlines project will help protect coastal ecosystems, wetlands and communities in the Lower Burdekin, and Magnetic Island, from the impacts of weeds, pests, floods and erosion.

“Activities, including weed control and revegetation, will improve the condition of 60 hectares of wetlands, 58 hectares of native beach scrub, 4.8 hectares of coastal dunes and 20 kilometres of streambank vegetation.

“The $3.7 million Climate-Resilient Rangelands project will support landholders to improve the condition of 1450 hectares of grazing land, native vegetation and wetlands across eight grazing properties north of Charters Towers, in the The Einasleigh Uplands bioregion, a biodiversity hotspot.

“Managing threats including pests, weeds, wildfires and grazing pressure, will strengthen landscape resilience to the impacts of climate change.”

Aquatic weed control on Lower Burdekin Creeks will be a major focus for the Climate-Ready Coastlines project. Here is a previous example of Plantation Creek. Hover the mouse over the image to see the result. Move the mouse away from the image to see it before weed control work began.