State Government shows way on land management

October 17, 2008

Valuable information on vegetation management and aspects of the groundbreaking Delbessie Agreement will be provided at a conference on October 20 to 23.

Department of Natural Resources and Water (NRW) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officers will provide this information to a group of delegates at the Veg Futures 08 conference in Toowoomba.

NRW and the EPA have taken a joint sponsorship at the national conference organised by Greening Australia with Land and Water Australia.

Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace said staff would host a display and give a presentation on the groundcover index, a technological development that could provide data for a range of initiatives including the Delbessie Agreement.

The groundcover index has been developed by NRW and uses satellite images to monitor ground cover over time. Ground cover levels influence infiltration, run-off and erosion by wind and water. The groundcover index can also assist separating the effects of climate, from land management issues and will be one of a range of tools that will help land managers observe and better understand natural processes, environmental influences and effects of management practices on future sustainable rural production.

“The Delbessie Agreement heralds a new era in the management of Queensland’s rural leasehold land, which accounts for more than half of the state’s area,” Mr Wallace said.

“Its primary focus is the long-term sustainable management of rural lands and gives landholders greater certainty over their productive future.

“The agreement rewards farmers and graziers, who look after their land, with longer leases of up to 50 years compared with the current maximum of 30 years using criteria that includes the management of land condition, environmental values and indigenous access.”

The Delbessie agreement was signed by the Queensland Government, AgForce Queensland and the Australia Rainforest Conservation Society late last year.

Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara said that EPA officers would conduct workshops to help keep delegates up-to-date on the best environmental practices and tools such as regional ecosystem maps.

“EPA officers will explain how biodiversity and production can exist hand in hand,” Mr McNamara said.

“They’ll also be talking about the Ecosystem Dynamics Simulator (EDS), a vegetation growth simulator, that allows landholders to predict the impacts of action such as fire, grazing and climate change on forest growth.”

About 400 delegates are expected to attend the Veg Futures 2008 conference that will feature national and international experts who will give presentations on climate change, policy and the implications for vegetation management.

Sessions will also address carbon trading, managing vegetation, landscape restoration and sustainable farming. Government officers, industry representatives, farmers, landholders, researchers and community members will attend the conference.

Media contacts: Minister Wallace’s office, 07 3896 3688

Minister McNamara’s office, 07 3336 8032