WHOLE OF CATCHMENT – Farming and forestry

• Increasing issues linked with recreation in the forestry estate associated with increasing population

  • In particular, 4WD impacts, arson, dumping

  • Losing plantation area to urban development

  • Increasing resources from HQPlantations required to address these increasing issues, including: asbestos removal; road repairs

  • litter and dumping in forestry – is getting worse, exacerbated by increasing costs of landfills and restrictions to landfill operational hours

• Many environmental/sustainability practices would willingly be taken up by local farmers but there is a huge investment upfront to develop capacity; this is beyond the capability of individual growers

• Retail pricing for farming produce is set behind the scenes and through international trade agreements, which has resulted in international produce often being cheaper than local-grown produce

• Since the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a severe labour shortage for agricultural work (e.g. fruit picking), which is a national-level crisis

• Good quality agricultural land

  • We don’t know well enough if we are growing the right things in the right places (that, is “WHERE” we’re farming)

  • How is good agricultural land and fit-for-purpose farming measured?

  • In planning schemes, urban development is prioritised above quality agricultural land

  • If we have another notable urban expansion into agricultural land, we will lose the whole agricultural industry from the catchment!

• With measures such as gross regional product, we need to also quantify negatives e.g. resources required by HQP to address poor behaviour

• Agricultural production is highly vulnerable to climate variation; and is not a given to be viable into the future

• Observation – Covid-19 pandemic has helped people better appreciate local industries and increase collective appetite for regional self-sufficiency 🙂

• Forestry impacts:

  • Garner collective support from partners to manage lands for both production AND community benefits

  • Develop state-supported closures of areas to motorised activities and other beneficial restrictions (e.g. seasonal/conditions-based closures)

  • Subsidise waste collection and extend landfill hours to make it easier for the community to do the right thing

  • Educate new residents to motivate good behaviour; show WHY their actions can contribute to positive outcomes

• Labour shortage crisis: provide education to overcome ignorance

• Quality agricultural land:

  • protect QAL better through strong planning

  • Elevate its importance through community education and advocacy

  • Increase education of value of farming to regional amenity/landscapes

• Minimising impacts from horticulture – growers:

  • Promote and adopt more sustainable agricultural practices as part of broader intelligent and active development (improve HOW we do things)

  • Adopt learnings from traditional knowledge on landscape considerations e.g. avoiding interventions such as lifting land and waste re-direction => adverse ripple effects

  • Increase research on sustainable practices to underpin better management

  • Promote increased valuing by producers of soil, water, etc (natural resources) as INPUTS into production (including financial value)

  • Give stronger collective consideration to non-traditional farming (e.g. regenerative/agroforestry/permaculture and nature-based solutions (e.g floating wetlands); That is, pursue sustainable farming in preference to traditional/industrial methods – Supported by necessary research

  • Fresh; “farm to table”

• Investigate wide adoption of “precision agriculture”/”substrate farming” (e.g. as in the Netherlands)

  • for more efficient use of space (increased yield/ha)

  • especially for berries

  • If we can build capacity and evolve to these practices now we can have the benefits BEFORE we lose all our natural environments

• Provide expanded collective support to horticulture and forestry industries:

  • Develop labelling and promotion to link good practice and local, green produce to brand benefits (e.g. a broad community campaign including education, farm visits)

  • Change the unfavourable balance between international and national/local preferences
    => Encourage locals to buy local! (support local produce and jobs); It’s ok to pay a little more; appreciate a job well done!

  • Establish markets and mechanisms and work with other industries for better cycling of inputs (e.g. water) and wastes (e.g. plastics)
    => Close the loop!

  • Increase/bring back extension programs, incentives and support by state/NRM groups

  • Investigate local community/cooperative farming mechanisms to overcome resource limitations of individual growers

Northern Pumicestone Passage

• Knowledge gap: cumulative impacts of Aura and (future) Beerwah East on water quality, habitats and fauna (e.g. birds, dugong, fish)

• Knowledge gap: Expected breakthrough of northern Bribie Island and impact on northern Passage and foreshores

• Emerging issue: increasing ecological and lifestyle/amenity impacts from increasing population and on-water recreational use

• Supplement previous studies on northern Bribie Island breakthrough/s

• Consolidate assessment of coastal erosion, local breakthrough/s and impacts and COMMUNICATE impacts to broader community

• Assess emerging impacts from increased on-water recreational activity on Westaways marine NP (e.g. fish, water mouse)

• On-water recreation: Develop a stronger, collectively supported framework for managing on-water recreation => A place for everyone and everyone in their place!

Southern Pumicestone Passage

• Knowledge gaps:

  • dugong populations and behaviour

  • cumulative loads of sediment forestry/4WDs including effectiveness of fringing wetlands as buffers

  • (and northern passage) potential displacement/loss of habitats from sea-level rise and increased temperatures

• Dugong populations: communicate and educate community and visitors to motivate positive behavioural change to protect dugong in the passage

• Revise management regulations (e.g marine park activities) based on current knowledge

• Promote values and ecosystem services of the passage and catchment

Bribie Island

• Climate change and SLR is a potentially catastrophic issue – highest point on the island is 2.5m; ~1m SLR expected by 2100!!

• Knowledge gaps:

  • value of the island as a buffer for mainland

  • land and water opportunities for renewable energy

• Observation; generally less issues in forestry areas than on mainland (e.g. less 4WDs, arson, dumping)

• Promote values of forestry industry to local community to counter angst about harvesting, replanting, etc

• Investigate the potential merits of a seaweed farm off the southern island

Forestry estate – mainland

• Key issues: see notes for whole catchment above

• Illegal dumping: strips adjoining urban areas of Caboolture in the south and Caloundra in the north are the worst affected

• Consolidate east-west buffers along creeks to link the passage to western hills

• Promote ongoing HQP sustainability initiatives that protect buffers and water quality

• Consider targeted waste subsidy measures in urban strips adjoining forestry (e.g. discounted fees, wider operating hours)

• Beerwah East: compensate for loss of plantation lands!! (e.g. 2:1 land swap)

• ?? * windfarms in passage

Major urban areas

• Investigate retrofitting wildlife passage across major north-south transport ways (especially Bruce Highway, northern rail)

• Facilitate improved wildlife corridor outcomes through proactive planning for major regional developments (e.g. Beerwah East)

Eastern agricultural areas

• Knowledge gap: direct ecological/toxicity impacts of agricultural pollutants in receiving waters, including the passage

• Undertake studies of ecological and toxicity impacts from agricultural pollutants in major waterways