Carbon Farming and Regional NRM Organisations
Regional NRM organisations have been involved in carbon farming since the beginning. We have a long history of supporting the development and refinement of methods for the Emissions Reduction Fund and other policies- this is reflected in the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011, which refers to alignment of carbon farming project proposals with regional NRM plans.
There are lots of benefits for regional NRM organisations in being involved in carbon farming. Working with landholders to support planning and development of carbon farming projects means we can achieve other regional NRM goals or ‘co-benefits’, such as biodiversity protection, improved water quality, or soil conservation, that we might not otherwise have had the resources to support. Regional NRM organisations can also play a role in minimising risks arising from both individual carbon farming projects and carbon farming at a landscape scale, by being the ‘eyes and ears’ on the ground, and providing an early warning system for policy makers about possible perverse outcomes from carbon farming projects.
Regional NRM organisations are as diverse as the regions they represent, so different organisations are playing different roles in the carbon farming sector. These roles range from simple information provision, to full carbon project planning and delivery. Resources in our Knowledge Hub including the Broderick 2021 report and the videos from some of our presentations and webinars, showcase the diverse roles we are playing in carbon farming.
NRM Regions Australia project- Knowledge for Capacity in Carbon Farming
In recognition of the role NRM organisations continue to play in carbon farming projects, planning and policy, the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER) provided funding to NRM Regions Australia until June 2023 to help build capacity in regional NRM organisations to engage with carbon farming and the ERF. Some of the functions and support that are provided through this funding include the employment of a part-time Knowledge Broker – Carbon Farming and the Emissions Reduction Fund. NRM Regions Australia also runs a Carbon Farming Community of Practice to share knowledge and provide information and resources. We also develop and share resources within the Knowledge Hub to support NRM staff – from dedicated carbon farming staff to the ‘carbon curious’ - to engage with carbon farming. Some of these resources are housed here in our website, but others can be accessed via our members-only Knowledge Hub and Collaboration spaces which you can login to from here.
If you would like more information, or to join the Carbon Farming and ERF Community of Practice, please get in touch with Knowledge Broker Rachel Clarke at [email protected].
Stories from the Regions
Regional NRM organisations are playing diverse roles in carbon farming. If you would like to understand more about some of the ways regional NRM organisations are adding value to the carbon farming industry, explore our Stories from the Regions - Carbon farming case studies.
Navigating Natural Capital - A Local Land Services Program
Regional Design for Regional Benefit: Cassowary Credits
Aggregation for Impact
Optimising and Leveraging Carbon - Development of a Co-benefit Co-investment Guide
NRM Regions Australia Submissions
| NRM Regions Australia Submissions to Australian Government | Date | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Submission On Audit Thresholds Instrument | December 2024 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NRM-Regions-Australia-Submission-on-Audit-Thresholds-Instrument.pdf |
| Submission on the Biodiversity Assessment Instrument | October 2024 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Final-NRM-RA-Submission-Nature-Repair-Market-Biodiversity-Assessment-Instrument-Oct-2024.pdf |
| Submission on Replanting Native Forest and Woodland Ecosystems method | October 2024 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Final-NRM-RA-Submission-Nature-Repair-Market-Replanting-Native-Forest-method-Oct-2024.pdf |
| Submission on the development of legislative rules for the Nature Repair Market | October 2024 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Final-NRM-RA-Submission-Nature-Repair-Market-Rules-241007.pdf |
| NRM Regions Australia Submission to the Reforestation by Environmental or Mallee Plantings method | July 2024 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/NRM-Regions-Australia-Submission-to-the-Reforestation-by-Environmental-or-Mallee-Plantings-method-–-July-2024.pdf |
| Submission to the Agriculture and Land Abatement Discussion Paper | December 2023 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/NRM-Regions-Australia-submission-Agriculture-Land-and-Emissions-Discussion-Paper-21122023.pdf |
| Submission to Climate Change Authority Issues Paper - Setting, Measuring and Achieving Australia's Emissions Reduction Target | July 2023 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/NRM-Regions-Australia-Submission-to-CCA-Issues-Paper-Setting-Measuring-and-Achieving-Australia_s-Emissions-Reduction-Target-7-.pdf |
| Submission to the ACCU Review Discussion Paper | October 2023 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/NRM-Regions-Australia-Submission-to-the-ACCU-Review-Discussion-paper-5-October-2023.pdf |
| Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on the Nature Repair Market | May 2023 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/NRM-Regions-Australia-Submission-to-the-Senate-Standing-Committee-on-the-Nature-Repair-Market-Bill-2023.pdf |
| Submission on the Exposure Draft - Nature Repair Market Bill | March 2023 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/NRM-Regions-Australia-Submission-on-Exposure-Draft-Nature-Repair-Market-Bill-2023.pdf |
| Submission on Development of a Biodiversity Market | September 2022 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/NRM-Regions-Australia-submission-development-of-a-Biodiversity-Market-September-2022-Final.pdf |
| Submission to the Independent ACCU Review | September 2022 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/NRM-Regions-Australia-Submission-Independent-ACCU-Review-September-2022.pdf |
| Submission on the Safeguard Mechanism Reform | September 2022 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/NRM-Regions-Australia-submission-on-the-Safeguard-Mechanism-Reform_-September-2022.pdf |
| Submission on proposed changes to HIR and NFMR Project Approvals | February 2022 | https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/NRM-Regions-Australia-submission-on-proposed-changes-to-HIR-and-NFMR-project-approvals-31012022.pdf |
Publications
Videos
Melinda Cox, Local Land Services NSW - A Biodiverse Carbon Farming Project, Carbon CoP Dec 2021
Melinda has been working on a pilot public/private partnership project with Greening Australia. The goal was to get 20 landholders over an area of 500ha committed to participating in a carbon farming project using the environmental plantings method under the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF).
Carbon Plus Biodiversity Pilot Part 1 - Overview with Professor Andrew Macintosh, ANU December 2021
In Part 1 of the webinar, Professor Macintosh provides an overview of the design of the scheme and the anticipated outcomes and benefits.
Jayne Thorpe presents on the SQ Landscapes project on local perspectives of carbon farming.
This social research project undertaken by Southern Queensland Landscapes and funded through Agrifutures in Queensland focused on understanding the experiences of landholders who have participated, or considered participating, in carbon farming projects, primarily under the Human Induced Regeneration (HIR) method.
Carbon Plus Biodiversity Pilot Part 2- Don Butler on understanding scoring for biodiversity benefits
In Part 2, Dr Don Butler, an Ecologist from the Australian National University, explains how the scoring system for the biodiversity benefits of the national carbon plus biodiversity pilot works.
Updates from the Dept of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
Carbon Plus Biodiversity Pilot Part 3 - Q&A with Professor Andrew Macintosh & Dr Don Butler of ANU
In Part 3 of the webinar, Professor Andrew Macintosh and Dr Don Butler of the ANU respond to questions from their presentations on the design and implementation of the pilot.
Carbon Plus Biodiversity Pilot Part 4 - NRM overview by Nick Maclean, Qld and Susan Stovell, SA
In Part 4 of the webinar, representatives from two of the regional NRM organisations that helped to deliver the pilot on the ground. Nick Maclean of Burnett-Mary, Queensland and Susan Stovell of Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, South Australia, describe their experiences and hopes for their regions as the pilot is delivered.
Carbon Plus Biodiversity Pilot Part 5- Participant view by Kerry Bridle, Beaufort farms, Tasmania
Part 5 of the webinar features a presentation by Kerry Bridle, the Environmental Manager of Beaufort Farms in northern Tasmania, and explores the experiences and decision-making processes that they underwent in applying to participate in the Carbon plus Biodiversity pilot.
Carbon Plus Biodiversity Pilot Part 6- Presenters panel discussion
In Part 6, the presenters from all the other sessions answer questions from the audience in a panel discussion.
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