Impact
Measuring the impact of our natural resource management work can sometimes be a challenge. It’s one thing to count the number of trees planted or cubic metres of weeds removed, but it’s another thing entirely to quantify impacts on the condition of land or on people’s quality of life.
Measuring the improved condition of our natural resources
That’s one of the reasons we’ve worked with the Queensland Government to deliver the State-wide Indicators Framework (SWIF). SWIF – the first of its kind in Australia – allows us to quantify our impact. Through SWIF we know that we’ve planted nearly 100,000 trees across Queensland, but we also know we’ve improved land condition over 314,933ha of land and vegetation condition across 158,168ha – and that’s just through one funding stream – the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Investment Program.
Measuring the economic impact of regional NRM in Queensland
In 2021, for the first time, Queensland’s regional NRM sector also quantified the impact that we have on regional economies, jobs, building local skills and capabilities and helping stakeholders better understand how to sustainably manage natural resources.
Some of this research focussed specifically on the economic impact of investment in regional natural resource management. We found that:
- $71.9 million is invested in NRM in Queensland annually from all sources
- This investment contributes an additional $183 million to the Queensland economy with $91.9 million value added.
- The regional NRM sector employs 268 FTEs but also creates an additional 367 FTEs, with nearly all of those roles created in Queensland’s regions where they are needed most.
- For every $1 of state funding, the NRM sector leverages another $4.20.
Benefit cost ratios for natural resource management in Queensland
Significantly, that research also calculated benefit cost ratios of investing in the environmental protection and land management work of Queensland’s regional NRM organisations.
For every one dollar invested in managing weeds, between $2.30 and $24.60 is returned to society. For habitat creation, the return on $1 is $5.60.
Our impact
New feral pig coordinators appointed in Queensland
Regional coordinators are in place across six Queensland regions.
Thousands of prickly acacias ‘no more’ after 200,000 hectares treated in four years
Prickly acacia outcompetes native grasses and turns prime livestock pastures into thorny scrubland.
Queensland’s NRM sector vital to improving Great Barrier Reef water quality
Regional NRM organisations will help to deliver the Australian Government’s $200 million Landscape Repair Program.
Large-scale koala habitat improvement projects underway
Koala populations are in decline but Queensland’s regional NRM organisations are working with their communities to reverse this trend.
Fishways open up 100km of creeks, rivers and estuaries
Terrain NRM has built six fishways to boost fish populations in North Queensland waterways.
Keeping native fish in the Murray-Darling Basin
Southern Queensland Landscapes is helping to protect fish and farming.
Invasive weeds tackled across Gulf Country and Desert Channels region
Southern Gulf NRM and Desert Channels Queensland treated almost 300,000 hectares for prickly acacia after floods dispersed weed seeds.
Turning rubble to reef
Reef Catchments has installed artificial habitat modules to support vital reef ecosystems.
Bringing life back to urban creeks
Healthy Land & Water is revitalising urban waterways through community collaboration and nature-based design.
Helping farming communities prepare for bushfire
Gulf Savannah NRM’s Fire Smart Mareeba Shire project successfully built local capacity in responding to and mitigating bushfire risk.