The first year done… and thank

you for your support

The end of year is always a good time to reflect and 2018 has been a busy year.

This year the priority has been getting BBB graziers involved with the project and aware of the opportunities on offer.

Property visits by field officers, together with targeted events such as workshops and field days, have built local interest with 65 per cent of the grazing community engaging with the LDC project.

These engagement activities have also been a platform for graziers to voice opinions individually, and on behalf of their industry.  Large-scale gully remediation works started this year and several suitable locations for gully remediation works have been identified with works to be carried out in 2019.

The project has also:

• Offered potential incentives to help landholders adopt better land management practices;
• Ensured landholders are aware of available erosion management tools and education opportunities; and
• Focused on identifying and addressing some of the barriers to adopting practice change, such as issues around labour, equipment, technical expertise, regulation and governance.

Landholders have also been encouraged to join, or form, a cluster group, supported by extension staff, where they can share resources and discuss their goals for improving their land and the quality of water of waterways.

I am proud of the way the LDC project team has worked alongside the project panel and BBB community to deliver on all these activities.

It’s fair to say the LDC project has faced a number of challenges, however, from these we have learnt, adapted, made changes, and still delivered on milestones. For me, this is what LDC is about, learning, improving and sharing knowledge for everyone’s benefit.

The next 12 months promises to be just as busy.  We will continue to engage with graziers through a wide range of activities.  We will establish demonstration sites with our delivery parties that showcase a wide range of land management practices, and demonstration sites that will explore cost effectiveness of landscape remediation – hoping to find that sweet spot between cost and benefit.

The team will continue to work with other land managers, facilitate landholder engagement in relevant policy development and implementation in the BBB catchment, and work closely with landholders to investigate a range of approaches that reward good practice.

The end of the year is also a time to thank people for their valued contribution to the project and there is a big crowd to thank.

Thank you to the LDC team members for their tireless efforts, to members of the steering committee for their honesty and feedback,  to our delivery partners (the consortium), and to the service providers working with us.

A special thank you to members of the project panel for providing strategic and management oversight,  who have made massive contributions through their feedback and advice to ensure the LDC project delivers.

Finally, a big thank you to the whole BBB community –  the past year has been challenging and rewarding.

Thank you for your willingness to engage, share your knowledge and expertise, and for working with the LDC team to achieve positive outcomes for the BBB grazing community.

— ANDREW YATES, Project Manager Landholders Driving Change project