{"id":9231,"date":"2025-03-03T23:21:26","date_gmt":"2025-03-03T23:21:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/restoring-lower-daintree-wetlands-copy\/"},"modified":"2025-04-03T20:16:19","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T20:16:19","slug":"cassowary-credits-betaphase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/cassowary-credits-betaphase\/","title":{"rendered":"Cassowary Credits Enters Beta Phase"},"content":{"rendered":"[mk_page_section bg_image=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/treetops-homepage.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”]CASSOWARY CREDITS BETA PHASE[\/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″]FIRST ‘BETA PHASE’ REVEGETATION PROJECTS[\/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_1741044657409{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]4 MARCH 2025[\/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1741046889401{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]On-ground projects have begun in the Daintree and Innisfail as the launch of a biodiversity credit scheme, based in the Wet Tropics region, draws closer.<\/p>\n

Terrain NRM is working with Rainforest Rescue and Cassowary Coast Regional Council on \u2018beta phase\u2019 revegetation projects for Cassowary Credits, one of the world\u2019s first high-integrity biodiversity credit schemes.<\/p>\n

For the past five years, Terrain NRM has been working with private industry, government, scientists, indigenous groups, community organisations and Eco-Markets Australia on the development of this conservation finance scheme to attract more investment into rainforest restoration and protection.<\/p>\n

Through Cassowary Credits, land managers can generate quantified units of habitat restoration, known as \u2018credits\u2019, to be sold on environmental markets worldwide.<\/p>\n

Partnering with Rainforest Rescue and Cassowary Coast Regional Council\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Terrain NRM\u2019s Bronwyn Robertson says partnering with Cassowary Coast Regional Council and Rainforest Rescue is hugely satisfying following the design and product development years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are working closely with our first participants to select sites, survey the habitat for baseline condition assessments, plan the projects to get the best biodiversity and community outcomes, and start the planting and monitoring,\u2019\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cHabitat condition will be measured over time. Improvements generate Cassowary Credits. This beta phase is our final testing phase, to guide future projects.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ideal location for a biodiversity credit scheme<\/strong><\/p>\n

She says the Wet Tropics is the ideal location for a biodiversity credit scheme.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe live in one of the most biologically diverse bioregions in the world, and the only place with two interconnected world heritage areas \u2013 our Wet Tropics forests and the Great Barrier Reef.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut our habitat faces an increasing number of threats – from invasive species to climate change. And restoration work is under-funded.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a long time, local community organisations, Traditional Owner groups and landholders have been calling for larger-scale and longer-term funding for restoration and conservation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile biodiversity credit markets are in their infancy, their role in mobilising increased funding for biodiversity has been recognised in the United Nations Global Biodiversity Framework. Cassowary Credits places the Wet Tropics region in a good position to take advantage of early developments in the emerging biodiversity credit market.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rainforest Rescue\u2019s CEO Branden Barber sees Cassowary Credits as an essential mechanism for regional restoration of rare and threatened species.<\/p>\n

His organisation is in the planning and feasibility stages for restoring 30 hectares of low-lying land across the road from an ox-bow wetland that connects with the Daintree River as well as Crocodile Creek and adjacent mangroves at the mouth of the Daintree River.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are two different ecotones and, if restored, the area would support a range of threatened and iconic species,\u2019\u2019 he says. \u201cIt\u2019s also an important spot for migratory species.[\/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”][mk_padding_divider size=”50″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1741047533839{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cBy restoring land like this as part of a Cassowary Credits project, we are helping to protect and improve the Wet Tropics natural environment while also embracing new technology and playing a part in establishing a viable restoration economy for the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cCarbon and biodiversity farming are both viable forms of agricultural activities that bring economic and community benefits on top of nature positive returns.\u201d<\/p>\n

Restoring cleared land and remnant rainforest<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cassowary Coast Regional Council is aiming to restore up to 30 hectares of cleared land and remnant rainforest bordering national park beside Ninds Creek near Innisfail.<\/p>\n

Council\u2019s Natural EnEnvironment and Sustainability Manager Michael Anderson says the council is excited to be at the forefront of a biodiversity credit scheme for the Wet Tropics region.<\/p>\n

\u201cPartnering with Terrain NRM is an amazing opportunity, that benefits both of us, to help take Cassowary Credits from paper to action. The timing is right, with a big push globally from consumers who are environmentally conscious and want to support businesses and organisations that invest in sustainable technologies and sustainable development.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can see these restoration sites being demonstration sites for landholders who are interested in being part of Cassowary Credits, as well as educational sites for school students and for others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Focus on land considered unsuitable for agriculture<\/strong><\/p>\n

Terrain\u2019s Bronwyn Robertson said up to 50,000 hectares of land across the Wet Tropics region had potential to be part of the Cassowary Credit Scheme.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are focused on land that\u2019s considered unsuitable for agriculture – based on soil type, slope or closeness to watercourses.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere has been a lot of interest in the scheme from local landholders. It is currently in the final stages of evaluation by Eco-Markets Australia for independent administration. Once we\u2019ve established these first beta phase projects, we\u2019ll be ready for a broader roll out of the scheme, and able to work with more landholders on projects.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cassowary Credit Scheme\u2019s development was originally funded by the Queensland Government\u2019s Land Restoration Fund, and more recently the Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, and the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia.<\/p>\n

For more information, visit: www.cassowarycredits.com.au<\/strong><\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/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:\/\/terrain.org.au\/what-we-do\/biodiversity\/cassowary-credit-scheme\/” 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_1743711375521{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\n

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