Would your property make a good demonstration site?

RESTORING landscape function, the introduction of technology and innovation in land management and access to cutting-edge monitoring systems, extension packages and training… they are some of the benefits on offer for people who allow their property to become a demonstration site for the Landholders Driving Change project.

Senior Project Officer Lisa Hutchinson is behind a plan to establish two demonstration sites – one in the Bowen, Broken and Bogie (BBB) catchment – and another in the Don River catchment.

She said the demonstration sites would be modelled on the Mulloon Creek project near Canberra designed and guided by The Mulloon Institute.

“Having demonstration sites where the Best Management Practice (BMP) theories are implemented gives people a ground-truth to help them make similar changes on their own properties,” Ms Hutchinson said.

She said the current science showed the Don and BBB catchments were among the highest contributors of fine sediment in runoff water flowing into the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon.

“Modelling suggests they export four times as much sediment as any other reef catchment,” she said.

While focusing on repairing damaged watercourses and eroding gullies did reduce the sediment load, changing the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations of the land managers in the area would target the cause, rather than the symptom and have even more effect in the long term.

She said if people could see best management practices applied on the ground, they would better understand the benefit of implementing it on their own property.

The demonstration sites would become a “One-Stop Shop” for land managers looking for solutions to problems on their own properties.

Keen to know more about it? Read the criteria here, fill in the form and submit it.

Not sure? Get in touch with Lisa on email lisa.hutchinson@nqdrytropics.com.au or on mobile 0427 594 192 and she will answer any questions.

RIGHT: Landscape rehydration water flow control structures at the Mulloon Institute demonstration site