Location of the MIP Any project has to involve the landholders first and foremost. To bring about change we must get our farmers involved so they can have confidence and belief in going forwards. I ve never been involved in a project that is so collaborative and allows all participants to be genuinely involved with seeking an outcome. Alan Colgrave, Cane Grower THURSDAY ISLAND Johnstone Catchment Tully Catchment BE A MIPPER GET INVOLVED Wet Tropics Region Be a part of the solution COOKTOWN Everyone working together for maximum benefit Get access to real time data and analysis to show your achievements KARUMBA Get extension support to help make change Tell your story THE DIFFERENCE THE MIP WILL MAKE The MIP will closely monitor the progress against achieving land management practice changes, economic benefits for landholders, and reductions in nutrient and pesticide loads. What we learn will inform how similar projects can be designed in other regions, remembering that the strategic priority is to deliver enduring, sustainable land management within local communities. The WTMIP Consortium consists of more than 40 organisations, coordinated by Terrain NRM and includes all the key partners, agriculture industry, researchers, NGOs, investors and agencies in the region. The Consortium builds Cleaner waterways Healthier reef Profitable farms Stronger communities Water quality leadership CONTACT on, and integrates with, existing government, industry, community and research programs to maximise success. Email WTMIP@terrain.org.au or visit www.terrain.org.au/mip The community-based MIP Project Panel had oversight of the MIP design process. Membership represents key partner organisations CANEGROWERS, Australian Banana Growers Council, research institutes, Johnstone River Catchment Management Association and Cassowary Coast River Improvement Trust, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Mamu, and Gulnay Traditional Owner groups. Wet Tropics People Steering the course for the reef A water quality project for productive, profitable communities and a healthy reef This project is funded by the Queensland Government and is a recommendation by the Great Barrier Reef Water Science Taskforce
Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project Everyone s responsibility The Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project (MIP) is the first of its kind a reef water quality program that is funded by the Queensland Government but designed by the local community. A Consortium of over 40 organisations and hundreds of people in our community have shaped this project. By working together and pooling their knowledge of the landscapes and conditions of the Tully and Johnstone catchments, the people living and working in these areas have helped to design a program tailor-made to their environment. Opportunity to make a difference The MIP concentrates efforts into two catchments. It is an opportunity to achieve a greater impact on water quality with a more localised approach. This concept was recommended by the Great Barrier Reef Water Science Taskforce. The Johnstone and Tully are identified as hotspot catchments because of the intensive agriculture industries which pose a risk to water quality. The MIP will build on the many water quality improvements already happening in the region, to deliver enduring and sustainable land management in a way that benefits local communities. Creating together The project is founded on the belief that long term change and sustainable communities must come from the hearts and minds of the people of the Wet Tropics. The six-month design phase closely involved landholders, industry, community, agencies, natural resource management, researchers and investors in shaping a program that is based on passion, knowledge and local ownership. The 3-year implementation phase aims to build on this participation and continue the momentum and community ownership of the project. IDEAS TO OUTCOMES Major workshops provided opportunities for the community to drive and influence the design of the project, right from the start. Over 300 people actively participated in the process, starting with the generation of 500+ ideas to help solve the water quality challenge. Up to 40 technical advisors assessed every single idea. Drawing on expert local knowledge, industry experience and state-of-the-art spatial and mapping tools, they provided advice and direction to the Project Panel. This was essential for the Panel to make evidence-based decisions about priority locations, actions, budget and staff. Getting this right is a key to success. We continued to talk with the community so ideas could be tracked from inception through to final design, and made sure it suited the environment and landholder needs.
What is the Program? The essence of the Wet Tropics MIP is the combination of actions that work with all parts of the community. While farming practice change is central to the project as the proven most cost-effective way of improving water quality, other actions are included in the mix to meet water quality targets. From the grass roots design process came a clear message that to affect catchment-wide change, the project operates at a range of scales: The individual (my water) Farmer clusters (our water) Broader catchment community (everyone s water) Collaborative partnerships within the region and beyond (more than just water) ACTIVITY AREAS CATCHMENT REPAIR & TREATMENT SYSTEMS The MIP will invest up to $4.6m to install 20 different treatments including bioreactors, wetlands, high efficiency sediment basins and riparian buffer zones. It will trial and monitor the effectiveness of these repair and treatment systems as potential methods for reducing nutrient and pesticide loads entering the Great Barrier Reef from the Wet Tropics. These will be delivered in collaboration with farmers and landholders in optimal locations. Community groups, traditional owners, NGOs, Council, and Cassowary Coast River Improvement Trust will be delivery partners. FARM SERVICES The MIP will accelerate practice change by investing up to $4.7m in five extension staff, performancebased incentives and technical support for landholders. This will deliver whole farm extension and incentives for optimal production, profit and landscape and water quality outcomes. It will establish demonstration cane and banana farms in priority sub-catchments, and it will help to mentor and coordinate the broader extension network and build famers capacity for change.
LOCAL SCALE MONITORING OUR CATCHMENT OUR COMMUNITY INFLUENCING The MIP will invest up to $2.9m over three years to design and deliver nested local scale water monitoring across 14 new sites. Working closely with farmers and the community, it will ensure industry and community have ownership and oversight, and that land managers receive rapid, in time local water quality information. Grower feedback has been show me that it s my problem and I will solve it, so the MIP will help build connections between science and farmers on the impacts and causes of reduced water quality. The MIP will invest up to $1.5m over three years in communications, grants and technical support to implement a mix of nonagricultural improvements, as well as catchment wide communication and engagement tools. Working with community groups, traditional owners, NGOs, industry, council and River Improvement Trusts, the MIP will build and share knowledge, co-generate data and support non-agricultural improvements. Innovative communications will promote results and tell a bigger picture story of change that recognises and values everyone s contributions. The MIP will invest up to $0.6m to explore innovative financing and investment opportunities. The MIP will seek to implement ecosystem service payments that support water quality activities an exciting opportunity for the MIP and all of the Reef catchments. The MIP will also work with partners, peak bodies, government and agencies to influence priority external factors that can be barriers to change.
Location of the MIP Any project has to involve the landholders first and foremost. To bring about change we must get our farmers involved so they can have confidence and belief in going forwards. I ve never been involved in a project that is so collaborative and allows all participants to be genuinely involved with seeking an outcome. Alan Colgrave, Cane Grower THURSDAY ISLAND Johnstone Catchment Tully Catchment Wet Tropics Region BE A MIPPER GET INVOLVED Be a part of the solution COOKTOWN Everyone working together for maximum benefit Get access to real time data and analysis to show your achievements KARUMBA Get extension support to help make change Tell your story THE DIFFERENCE THE MIP WILL MAKE The MIP will closely monitor the progress against achieving land management practice changes, economic benefits for landholders, and reductions in nutrient and pesticide loads. What we learn will inform how similar projects can be designed in other regions, remembering that the strategic priority is to deliver enduring, sustainable land management within local communities. The WTMIP Consortium consists of more than 40 organisations, coordinated by Terrain NRM and includes all the key partners, agriculture industry, researchers, NGOs, investors and agencies in the region. The Consortium builds Cleaner waterways Healthier reef Profitable farms Stronger communities Water quality leadership CONTACT on, and integrates with, existing government, industry, community and research programs to maximise success. Email WTMIP@terrain.org.au or visit www.terrain.org.au/mip The community-based MIP Project Panel had oversight of the MIP design process. Membership represents key partner organisations CANEGROWERS, Australian Banana Growers Council, research institutes, Johnstone River Catchment Management Association and Cassowary Coast River Improvement Trust, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Mamu, and Gulnay Traditional Owner groups. Wet Tropics People Steering the course for the reef A water quality project for productive, profitable communities and a healthy reef This project is funded by the Queensland Government and is a recommendation by the Great Barrier Reef Water Science Taskforce
Location of the MIP Any project has to involve the landholders first and foremost. To bring about change we must get our farmers involved so they can have confidence and belief in going forwards. I ve never been involved in a project that is so collaborative and allows all participants to be genuinely involved with seeking an outcome. Alan Colgrave, Cane Grower THURSDAY ISLAND Johnstone Catchment Tully Catchment Wet Tropics Region BE A MIPPER GET INVOLVED Be a part of the solution COOKTOWN Everyone working together for maximum benefit Get access to real time data and analysis to show your achievements KARUMBA Get extension support to help make change Tell your story THE DIFFERENCE THE MIP WILL MAKE The MIP will closely monitor the progress against achieving land management practice changes, economic benefits for landholders, and reductions in nutrient and pesticide loads. What we learn will inform how similar projects can be designed in other regions, remembering that the strategic priority is to deliver enduring, sustainable land management within local communities. The WTMIP Consortium consists of more than 40 organisations, coordinated by Terrain NRM and includes all the key partners, agriculture industry, researchers, NGOs, investors and agencies in the region. The Consortium builds Cleaner waterways Healthier reef Profitable farms Stronger communities Water quality leadership CONTACT on, and integrates with, existing government, industry, community and research programs to maximise success. Email WTMIP@terrain.org.au or visit www.terrain.org.au/mip The community-based MIP Project Panel had oversight of the MIP design process. Membership represents key partner organisations CANEGROWERS, Australian Banana Growers Council, research institutes, Johnstone River Catchment Management Association and Cassowary Coast River Improvement Trust, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Mamu, and Gulnay Traditional Owner groups. Wet Tropics People Steering the course for the reef A water quality project for productive, profitable communities and a healthy reef This project is funded by the Queensland Government and is a recommendation by the Great Barrier Reef Water Science Taskforce