Presentations delivered at the Inaugural Reef Rescue Showcase held last month in Cairns are now available. The presentations include:

• A focus on best-practice science and engagement | NQ Dry Tropics
• Strong partnerships and sound delivery model engaging cane growers in the Lower Burdekin | NQ Dry Tropics
• An overview of Reef Rescue | Mike Berwick
• Partnerships for Practice Change | Fitzroy Basin Association
• Grains BMP program - boosting productivity and reef water quality | Grains BMP officers and participants
• What we understand and what we need to understand better: the change in research focus | Hugh Yorkston, GBRMPA
• Underpinning science to target improved practice change | Fitzroy Basin Association
• Industry-wide Reef Rescue projects - big picture projects helping out regional growers and graziers
• Milking the P's to change: powerful partnerships using performing programs, precision planning and proven practices | Rick Kowitz, Queensland Dairyfarmers' Organisation
• Horticulture: in partnership with the Reef | Growcom
• Healthy Country: managing the land for healthy waterways - a case study from SEQ | SEQ Catchments
• Reef Rescue success in the Wet Tropics | Terrain

Two new Reef Rescue publications will be available in March, helping to spread the word about the unique Queensland program. A fact sheet provides an overview of the program, the role of industry and regional NRM groups and how funding can be accessed by land managers across reef catchments. A new quarterly newsletter provides industry and regional groups with an avenue for sharing news about how their work is contributing to improving the water quality of the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. The first newsletter features stories about a new DVD produced by CANEGROWERS, managing for fire across Cape York and how Reef Rescue has given new graziers a hand in the NQ Dry Tropics region. Both publications, produced in partnership by Queensland Farmers Federation and Queensland Regional NRM Groups Collective are available online at www.rgc.org.au from 10 March 2010 or by contacting Lane Pilon on 07 4699 5000. The deadline for the next edition of the newsletter is Tuesday 30 April and contributions can be sent to sam@wombatcreative.com.au.

Terrain Natural Resource Management, based in Innisfail, has been working closely with Biocarbon Pty Ltd since 2007 to pilot the joint Degree Celsius terrestrial carbon initiative. This project, recently recognised by the Eureka Prize for Innovative Solutions to Climate Change, has provided a framework for land managers to participate in aggregated regional biocarbon pools. 

Nine homes in the Townsville region will open their doors to the public on Sunday, 13 September, for this year’s Sustainable House Day as millions of Australians continue to embrace renewable energy, recycling and other practices designed to lessen our impact on the environment.

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