{"id":7101,"date":"2022-03-03T02:59:25","date_gmt":"2022-03-03T02:59:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/?p=7101"},"modified":"2022-03-03T21:52:38","modified_gmt":"2022-03-03T21:52:38","slug":"banksia-sustainability-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/banksia-sustainability-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Banksia Sustainability Award Finalist"},"content":{"rendered":"[mk_page_section bg_image=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/banksia-sustainability-awards.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” enable_3d=”true” min_height=”500″ js_vertical_centered=”true” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” section_id=”donate” el_class=”donate-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”70px”][mk_fancy_title font_family=”none” align=”center”][\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”67″][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789112768{padding-right: 36px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_left”][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”15″ visibility=”visible-sm”][mk_padding_divider visibility=”visible-tl”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” el_class=”terrain-title-2″]Terrain NRM announced as Banksia National Sustainability Finalist[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”60″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″ visibility=”visible-nb”][vc_column_text el_class=”sub-head” css=”.vc_custom_1646276026798{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]3 MARCH 2022[\/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1646285668049{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]An innovative Reef water quality project based in the Wet Tropics region is now a finalist <\/span>in the Agriculture and Regional Development category of the Banksia National Sustainability Awards<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Established 33 years ago, the awards recognise individuals, communities, businesses and government for innovation and excellence in environmental and social stewardship.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project has been described as a blueprint to <\/span>accelerate progress towards achieving Reef 2050 water quality targets.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The four-year project, funded by the Queensland Government\u2019s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program and delivered by natural resource management body T<\/span>errain NRM resulted in 23,966 hectares of agricultural land undergoing confirmed practice changes in the Tully and Innisfail region. It also prevented an estimated 73 tonnes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen from flowing to the Great Barrier Reef.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Terrain NRM CEO Stewart Christie said his organisation had worked in collaboration with farmers and the agricultural industry for over 10 years on water quality programs but the Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project stood out for its grass-roots collaborative approach and the high level of uptake from landholders.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know we can only achieve l<\/span>ong-term transformational by tailoring our approach to individual farmers needs and empowering them to be in the driver\u2019s seat,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis was a truly collaborative effort which succeeded because of strong relationships between the delivery team, landholders, scientists, Traditional Owners, government agencies, and industry groups \u2013 namely Tully & Innisfail Canegrowers and the Australian Banana Growers Council.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789122720{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 34px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_right”][mk_padding_divider size=”206″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”50″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1646275133135{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Terrain\u2019s waterway health leader, Charles Hammond said there had been unprecedented buy-in from local communities on water quality issues.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe critical success factor was ensuring the cane and banana industries were a key part of the project\u2019s governance arrangements and delivery team. This enabled the project to <\/span>stay true to its grassroots approach, and for landholders to continue to shape the project,\u201d Mr Hammond said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The inclusion of a local-scale water quality monitoring gave participating farmers locally relevant and practical data to help them make decisions about paddock management. Trials of a number of water quality treatment systems including on-farm bioreactors and vegetated farm drains to sediment basins and constructed wetlands were also undertaken.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The project also led to the d<\/span>evelopment of the Reef Credits Scheme, and the establishment of Eco Markets Australia<\/a><\/strong>, the country\u2019s first independent environmental markets administrator. Reef Credits are a market-based solution that <\/span>enables farmers undertaking practice change to be paid for water quality improvements<\/a><\/strong>. The first credits, valued at over $1 million, were issued in 2021.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project has created a legacy with outcomes such as Reef Credits, Indigenous employment opportunities and the first \u2018Queensland Bioreactor Guidelines\u2019 informed in part by this project,\u2019\u2019 said Mr Christie.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The project also provided the foundation for further investment from the Queensland Government and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation into local scale water monitoring in the Tully and Innisfail regions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost importantly, we now have a highly regarded approach for<\/span> accelerating progress towards achieving reef water quality targets.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Award <\/span>winners will be announced on Thursday 31 March.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section el_class=”grean-btn-sec” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”47″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_button dimension=”outline” url=”https:\/\/banksiafdn.com\/national-awards-finalists-2\/” align=”right” el_class=”green-btn” outline_skin=”custom” outline_active_color=”#175137″ outline_active_text_color=”#ffffff” outline_hover_bg_color=”#175137″ outline_hover_color=”#ffffff”]Read More[\/mk_button][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1-blog” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”105″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” align=”right” el_class=”terrain-title”]RELATED NEWS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row fullwidth=”true” fullwidth_content=”false” id=”post_grid_filter_1″][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”grid_greate_3″ css=”.vc_custom_1598408950187{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\n

\t\t

\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Liquid\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t

\r\n\t\t\tLiquid compost sprayer trials<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Template 1<\/a> Soil<\/a><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\" admin@terrain<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \"\" October 20, 2025 <\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t
Working with farmers to trial a new type of sprayer for this region...<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead More<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Climate\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t

\r\n\t\t\tClimate Smart Funding for Wet Tropics farmers<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Soil<\/a> Template 1<\/a><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\" admin@terrain<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \"\" August 3, 2025 <\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t
New trials, demonstration sites, workshops...<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead More<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Soil\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t

\r\n\t\t\tSoil Health workshops<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Soil<\/a> Template 1<\/a><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\" admin@terrain<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \"\" July 3, 2025 <\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t
Great to see farmers from across the industries...<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead More<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t1<\/span>\n2<\/a>\n3<\/a>\n…<\/span>\n19<\/a>\nNext \u00bb<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\n[\/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”15″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row fullwidth=”true” fullwidth_content=”false” id=”innerpage_footer_1″ el_class=”innerpage_footer_2″][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text el_class=”innerpage_mailchimp” css=”.vc_custom_1563877416570{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\t\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t