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
Regional NRM skills assessment
Regional NRM organisations boast a wide range of skill sets, but they also outsource a considerable number of skills to regional providers, creating employment where it’s needed most. In 2021 we conducted research to quantify these skills and the benefits of outsourcing to regional communities.