Palaszczuk Government announces first six Land Restoration Fund projects

The Palaszczuk Government has announced the first six successful projects under the $500 million flagship Land Restoration Fund, which supports carbon farming projects in Queensland and tackles climate change.

Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Leeanne Enoch said a total $1 million had been allocated to fund six projects as part of the pilot projects round.

“These six successful projects will expand the scope of Queensland’s emerging carbon farming industry and lay the foundations that will enable the industry to grow,” Ms Enoch said.

“These projects will explore ways carbon farming will enhance Queensland’s unique biodiversity and support valuable Traditional Owner land management techniques.”

Carbon farming is about farming in a way that reduces emissions or traps carbon in the soil.

The Land Restoration Fund is a key plank of the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to take action on climate change.

“We’re doing our part, with the Land Restoration Fund along with ambitious targets we have set, including zero net emissions by 2050 and 50% renewables by 2030.

“We accept the science and recognise that action is needed now if we are going to address the impacts of a changing climate.”

The successful applicants for pilot projects in the Land Restoration Fund include Cape York Natural Resource Management, which is receiving $200,000 to develop a carbon project across 14 properties, and Balkanu Cape York Development, which is also being funded to undertake a strategic analysis of Cape York Peninsula fire patterns leading to increased carbon credits.

World Wide Fund for Nature Australia is receiving $196,000 to protect threatened species and restore grazing land in Great Barrier Reef catchment areas.

“The Palaszczuk Government’s investment in the carbon farming industry is creating new employment opportunities and revenue sources for regional communities,” Ms Enoch said.

“The Land Restoration Fund is helping improve our economy while achieving important environmental outcomes for the state, such as reducing our carbon footprint.

“There are many ways in which carbon farming activities can deliver a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and create significant social, cultural and environmental benefits.”

Visit www.qld.gov.au/landrestorationfund for more information.

Successful applicants for Land Restoration Fund Pilot Projects:

• FNQ Natural Resource Management – receiving $182,979 to establish a Cassowary Credits system to catalyse participation in carbon farming projects in Wet Tropics bioregion
• Cape York Natural Resource Management – receiving $200,000 to develop an aggregated carbon project across 14 properties while accounting for cultural and biodiversity co-benefits of savanna burning projects in Cape York Peninsula
• Deakin University – $198,569 to assess blue carbon potential in Queensland, including mapping of blue carbon stocks and sequestration rates.
• Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation - $200,000 to undertake a strategic analysis of Cape York Peninsula fire patterns in order to increase carbon abatement through optimised regional-scale management.
• Southern Gulf Natural Resource Management - $195,723 to build pastoral industry knowledge of carbon industry to increase participation and deliver economic, environmental, social and cultural benefits in the Southern Gulf region.
• World Wide Fund for Nature Australia - $196,850 to identify priority sites for vegetation protection and restoration that would provide substantial areas for habitat for threatened species, as well as carbon credits and other co-benefits. Outcomes will be a series of investment-ready proposals for projects that would deliver threatened species habitat, greater grazing productivity and improved water quality. Will be undertaken in Great Barrier Reef catchments.

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