Monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement

Natural resource management in the Burdekin Dry Tropics region involves a wide array of stakeholders and participants, as outlined in the Community consultation, engagement and collaboration section. Each organisation and group involved in natural resource management has its own reporting requirements and regulations. Some of these are formal and publicly accessible, while others are less formal in nature and not available to the general public.

For each of the Five-year Outcome sections in this Addendum, relevant monitoring programs and information is provided, along with a list of potential indicators for monitoring of that resources, system or species. The Conservation Action Plan also outlines monitoring requirements for each community or species addressed.

Below is a summary of the major monitoring that is undertaken in the region, where the monitoring program information is publicly available.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Reef 2050 Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Program (RIMRep) – https://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/our-work/reef-strategies/reef-integrated-monitoring-and-reporting-program

This monitoring is a large, coordinated effort between different stakeholders in the health, protection and use of the Great Barrier Reef. The monitoring provides information for the GBRMPA Reef Knowledge System, Reef Report Cards and other reports. Information covered includes water quality (sediment, nutrients, pesticides), groundcover levels and inshore marine condition, including seagrass and coral. Reports are available for NRM regions and catchments.

Paddock to Reef – https://www.reefplan.qld.gov.au/tracking-progress/paddock-to-reef

Reef water quality monitoring and reporting is also informed through the Paddock to Reef program, which is a large-scale monitoring and modelling program that evaluates management practice adoption and effectiveness, catchment condition, pollution run-off and marine condition. These areas are inter-linked and integrated through a common assessment and reporting framework.

Dry Tropics Partnership for Healthy Waters – https://drytropicshealthywaters.org/ and Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnerships – https://healthyriverstoreef.org.au

These collaborations are between community, industry, science, research and government to provide catchment-level annual report cards on the ecological, social and economic health of the GBR and waterways in the Townsville Dry Tropics region.

Queensland State of the Environment Reporting – https://www.stateoftheenvironment.des.qld.gov.au/

This state-wide reporting assesses the state and condition of Queensland’s environmental assets and the pressures affecting these.

Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS)

https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/management/mapping/statewide-monitoring/slats

SLATS is a scientific monitoring program led by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science’s in conjunction with other organisations to capture satellite imagery and field data that enables annual reporting of changes in woody vegetation. This includes data for legislative purposes and data is used to inform natural resource planning, management and reporting.

Regional Report Card

In addition to the above, a Regional NRM Plan Report Card is planned that will provide a broad overview of natural resource management in the region under several themes: Working together; Adapting for the future; Looking after our landscapes; and Effectively managing our resources.

The report card will include three sections:  ‘Region at a glance’ that provides context e.g. major land use; population and production figures; Indicators (listed below) that will provide information on trends in natural resource use and management and case studies that highlight particular issues or achievements in NRM in the region.

Information will be drawn from existing monitoring and reporting programs and with the assistance of regional organisations and groups.

Potential Indicators for Report Card: