National NRM Technical Specialist

Abstract

This project built on the past decade of investment in NRM research by providing a National NRM technical specialist who lead and assisted the industry develop and implement annual national CottonInfo NRM campaigns, identify NRM R&D gaps and opportunities and facilitate the capture of NRM R&D into the cotton industries myBMP program, industry guidelines, tools and products. Industry NRM research workshops such as the 2015 Riparian Researcher and the 2016 Responsible landscape Management forum provided important opportunities for researchers and industry leaders to discuss NRM research outcomes and workshop NRM R&D gaps and opportunities for CRDC investment. The establishment of two long-term riparian vegetation condition/land management practice monitoring sites on a cotton property in southern QLD, provides an important longitudinal dataset on practice change as well as impacts on key riparian condition indicators identified for the cotton industry by CRDC riparian researchers. Through Collaboration with CottonInfo’s REO’s, regional NRM bodies and industry groups (eg WINCOTT) an innovative initiative focusing on ‘social network of women’ implemented across 7 cotton valleys has resulted in over 300 people with improved knowledge of riparian BMP and the confidence to implement these practices. The development and release in 2016 of a Birds on Cotton Farm App, provided the industry with an important tool for the identification, management and monitoring of birds in cotton landscapes, with almost 200 sightings of birds across cotton landscapes recorded to date by users. The launch of the Cotton RiverCare program and appointment in 2016 of a National Cotton RiverCare champion has enabled the industry to extend ‘good riparian stewardship’ to industry and non-industry including 1200 followers on social media. Extension of Cotton NRM R&D at CottonInfo industry meetings, forums and national and international conferences including the International River Symposium in Brisbane in 2016. Over 50 CottonInfo extension tools and products on NRM BMP produced and residing on the NRM page of CottonInfo.