BHP BMA: Water Resources Situational Analysis & Qld Indigenous Land Conservation Project Water Resources Situational Analysis To better understand shared water challenges and opportunities for collective action, BHP commissioned a Water Resources Situational Analysis (WRSA) prepared by Alluvium Consulting and the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals. The WRSA will be made publicly available in mid-2022 and will be a tool for all to use in planning and prioritising action throughout the catchment. Fifteen shared challenges were identified across the following categories: Integrated water resource planning and management; Participation and access of first nations to land and sea country; Water security for economic and social well-being; Data confidence and knowledge; and Water and catchment quality. The WRSA reports on consequences and causes of these shared challenges and identifies existing and future opportunities for collective action. Queensland Indigenous Land Conservation Project Queensland Indigenous Land Conservation Project (QILCP) led by Greening Australia and BHP/BMA, with project partners the Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council and the Barada Barna Aboriginal Corporation aim to improve and maintain the whole catchment connected to the Great Barrier Reef by engaging, enabling, and empowering Traditional Owners and Indigenous Communities to care for Country. The QILCP has celebrated several achievement since April 2019 including: [...]

FBA: The Brownlie's journey a lesson for others Andrew and Tali Brownlie of Andalia Pastoral are quintessential next generation producers who have developed a taste for leveraging relationships and  resources to minimise risk and maximise return. Their success didn’t happen overnight, and their story is not dissimilar to other dynamic producers who’ve travelled a similar journey to arrive at the same destination. In fact, the Brownlies are an example of curious but interdependent operators who have accepted advice and guidance from FBA and other organisations, implemented what they learnt, made some mistakes along the way, and have come out on top. Part of FBA’s philosophy is to initially work in small increments, walking shoulder to shoulder with the land manager until they achieve a level of confidence that empowers them to investigate other initiatives and fund their own investments. Andrew and Tali took part in the Resource Consulting Services Grazing for Profit course, closely followed by a KLR Marketing workshop and then a Low Stress Stock handling program. Armed with new tools, formulas, planning skills and networks, the Brownlie’s looked at opportunities differently and assessed them with fresh eyes. FBA’s work with the Brownlies has been a team [...]

Cotton Australia, CRDC, ANSTO & UNSW: R&D the key to a sustainable cotton industry The Australian cotton industry has been managing on-farm sustainability for decades, underpinned by investments in research and development, the industry’s Best Management Practices program (myBMP), grower adoption of improved practices and innovation, and active participation in global sustainability programs. Today, Australian cotton growers produce more cotton on less land, with more efficient water use and with less impact on the environment than ever before. Through Cotton Australia and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), the industry has committed to undertaking: Sustainability reporting every five years against agreed targets (set over five-yearly intervals from 2019 to 2029 to align with the Australian Cotton Industry 2029 Vision). Stakeholder engagement on industry sustainability and opportunities for improvement, including via a formal stakeholder forum. Independent assessments of sustainability and environmental performance every 10 years. Sustainability in the industry is underpinned by strong R&D. For example a recent CRDC project with Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and University of NSW investigated the nitrogen cycle in rivers draining through cotton growing regions. The catchments included the Nogoa River a tributary of the Fitzroy River flowing towards the Great Barrier Reef near [...]