BCCA coordinated this Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG), initiative to assist graziers and grain growers in the Western Burnett with projects to improve soil management practices and increase landscape scale conservation. High erosion risk was identified as the priority for this section of the catchment.

The grain industry component of the project promoted practices that improve and enhance soil management through reduced tillage, retaining stubble and reduced compaction. A precision agriculture training workshop detailed the benefits of introducing controlled traffic management to improve soil health. Following the workshop, five grain growers undertook projects that included soil testing, installing GPS units and purchasing reduced tillage equipment to assist implementation of controlled traffic systems.

The grazing industry component of the project assisted graziers to improve soil and ground cover management and increase landscape scale conservation through property planning. The 37 landholders involved in the program implemented changes to improve the soil management practices on 5,106 hectares of land and improved landscape scale conservation on over 3761 hectares.

BCCA assisted 20 graziers to complete property management plans that included comprehensive assessment and mapping of their natural and physical property assets, pest management and future management goals.

A soils and forestry workshop was held to increase graziers’ understanding of soil characteristics that influence pasture management and condition and the value of protecting and enhancing areas of native vegetation for both production and biodiversity values.

Eligible projects such as internal fencing and off-stream watering points to improve grazing management, particularly in native vegetation areas, were sought from participants following the workshops.