2.11 Island vegetation The surrogate for island terrestrial vegetation is defined as extent (ha) of habitat multiplied by a condition metric. Offset Actions Restoration, invasive species removal and threat mitigation actions Offset Cost Calculator not yet available; Project-by-project determination of cost Offset Location Project-by-project determination Offset must be invested in restoration and threat mitigation actions including but not limited to: Invasive plant and animal control and eradication, Revegetation, Other anthropogenic impact mitigation. As of February 2017, there is insufficient data to use the calculator for the island vegetation surrogate. Data on actions, costs, and efficacy are being accumulated and assessed through several research projects, including Pressey & Wenger 2015 and the ongoing NESP-funded project 4.2: Saving Species on Australian Islands. When adequate data are available, the calculator may become available in the future. 2.12 Halimeda The surrogate for Halimeda is defined as extent (ha) of Halimeda bank habitat multiplied by a condition metric together with the associated benthic species. Offset Actions Conservation, threat mitigation, and related actions guided by expert opinion Offset Cost Calculator not yet available; Project-by-project determination of cost Offset Location Project-by-project determination As of February 2017, there is insufficient data to use the calculator for the Halimeda surrogate. Conservation and threat mitigation actions, along with cost and location, should be determined on a project-by-project basis in the interim, guided by expert opinion.
2 Two experts responded that actions should be defined by the underfunded actions contained within the Water Quality Improvement Plans for each Natural Resources Management Region. One expert selected “Underfunded actions defined within an existing strategy / plan / initiative than the WQIP (if this option is selected, please provide details below)” and provided the following comment: “The anthropogenic loads of DIN quoted appear to ignore that from elevated erosion rates (recently identified by DSITI project). Anthropogenic PN also contributes a similar or larger amount of N to GBR coastal waters as DIN and so erosion control should be included in the N-reduction activities.” 3.2.3 Costs Abatement of DIN is highly dependent on the region, costing between $44 and $320/ha depending on farm size (State of Queensland, 2016c). Alluvium (2016) recently estimated costs to achieve water quality targets in the Reef region, summarised below. Wet Tropics Cane Practice change C to B: $4,890/tonne Burdekin Region Irrigation – Burdekin 20%: $12,300/tonne Irrigation – Burdekin 21-50%: Irrigation – Burdekin 51-70%: $62,500/tonne Irrigation – Burdekin 71-1000%: $41,700/tonne Mackay Whitsunday Region Cane Practice change C to B: $24,700/tonne Rolfe and Windle (2016) lead a NESP-funded project to investigate “benchmarking costs of agricultural water management in GBR catchments.” Within this project, Rolfe and Windle (2016) analysed cost data from Australian-government funded Reef Rescue grant projects and developed a “guide to the cost-effectiveness of various schemes by NRM group,” included as Table 3-1 (repeated below for ease of review). Table 3-1: Costs of Water Quality Improvements by NRM region (Rolfe and Windle 2016)