The need to act

In 2009 Wesfarmers Curragh engaged Ecofund Queensland to deliver an offset site and management plan to counter-balance adverse environmental impacts of the Blackwater Creek Diversion and Coal Mine Project.

The Curragh East Mine is an existing open cut coal mine covering approximately 12,600 hectares, located approximately 200 kilometres west of Rockhampton and six kilometres north of the rural township of Blackwater in Queensland. The Blackwater Creek Diversion Project created a diversion of approximately 9.4 kilometres of Blackwater Creek within the Curragh East Mining Lease to gain mining access to coal reserves.

This project required clearing of approximately 268 hectares (ha) of vegetation, including approximately 223 ha of endangered Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) ecological community, an unavoidable environmental impact of the project.

The offset was a requirement under the ‘Draft Policy Statement: Use of environmental offsets’ under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 for impacts to approximately 200 ha of endangered Brigalow ecological community.

How environmental offsets work

Environmental offsets have become an increasingly important aspect of any development project in Australia. Offsets are integral to development approvals under Commonwealth, State and Territory, and local government environmental regulations.

Environmental offsets are required to counter-balance unavoidable, negative impacts on the environment that result from activities such as infrastructure development, mining and urban development. When used in a strict ‘avoid and minimise’ framework, offsets protect at-risk environmental values, support the restoration of degraded ecosystems and restore habitat for threatened species.

There are a number of legal and contractual requirements that must be addressed to identify and secure a compliant environmental offset. These include:

• legal requirements on the developer to provide environmental offsets based on the various criteria outlined in State and Commonwealth offset policies.
• contractual arrangements between a proponent (developer) and offset provider (landholder).
• statutory obligations on the landholder providing the offset.
• on-going offset management (e.g. landholder vs. subcontractors, payment schedules).
• security of the offset (e.g. voluntary declaration, covenant, Nature Refuge Agreement, dedication to State as a protected area).

Outcomes

Ecofund Queensland facilitated the delivery of an appropriate offset located in the Northern Brigalow Belt region on a Mt Flora property, near Nebo in central Queensland. This was achieved through a Nature Refuge Agreement between the developer and the landholder.

This site was chosen as a suitable offset for the Blackwater Creek Diversion and Coal Mine Project for several reasons. The offset site is located adjacent to Dipperu (Scientific) National Park, which contains the largest area of undisturbed Brigalow and related vegetation types in the Northern Brigalow Belt, the very vegetation type cleared by the developer. The approved offset will protect the endangered Brigalow ecological community across 765 hectares, including 643 hectares of high value Brigalow ecological community. The offset site also increases landscape connectivity and enhances wildlife migration through wildlife corridors.

The area will be fenced off from grazing, while financial assistance to the landholder will ensure the site is better managed against threats such as fire and weeds.

Evaluation

The Northern Brigalow Belt region is an important biodiversity hotspot for Queensland and is home to some of the world’s most threatened wildlife. Although 90 per cent of the bioregion is currently used for grazing, Ecofund Queensland has been able to work with landholders to maintain a balance between protecting the environment and assisting the industrial development and agricultural needs of Queensland.

Through such an arrangement the landholder, as the offset provider, benefits in two ways. By entering into a Nature Refuge Agreement, and through the Delbessie Agreement, the landholder is able to seek an extension to the term of the property lease. The offset also generates an additional income from the land.

The landholder of the offset site at Mt Flora, Griff Symonds, was very happy with the outcomes of environmental offset.

“I’m very pleased with the process that has seen the area protected as a green offset. What was marginally unproductive land for us is now able to be better managed and I’m proud to be involved in helping to protect areas important to Queensland’s environment,” Mr Symonds said.

Find out more about this project at www.ecofund.net.au/projects.html

Source
Blackwater Creek Diversion, Initial Advice Statement, 2007, Wesfarmers Curragh Pty Ltd.

The need to act

In 2009 Wesfarmers Curragh engaged Ecofund Queensland to deliver an offset site and management plan to counter-balance adverse environmental impacts of the Blackwater Creek Diversion and Coal Mine Project.

The Curragh East Mine is an existing open cut coal mine covering approximately 12,600 hectares, located approximately 200 kilometres west of Rockhampton and six kilometres north of the rural township of Blackwater in Queensland. The Blackwater Creek Diversion Project created a diversion of approximately 9.4 kilometres of Blackwater Creek within the Curragh East Mining Lease to gain mining access to coal reserves.

This project required clearing of approximately 268 hectares (ha) of vegetation, including approximately 223 ha of endangered Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) ecological community, an unavoidable environmental impact of the project.

The offset was a requirement under the ‘Draft Policy Statement: Use of environmental offsets’ under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 for impacts to approximately 200 ha of endangered Brigalow ecological community.

How environmental offsets work

Environmental offsets have become an increasingly important aspect of any development project in Australia. Offsets are integral to development approvals under Commonwealth, State and Territory, and local government environmental regulations.

Environmental offsets are required to counter-balance unavoidable, negative impacts on the environment that result from activities such as infrastructure development, mining and urban development. When used in a strict ‘avoid and minimise’ framework, offsets protect at-risk environmental values, support the restoration of degraded ecosystems and restore habitat for threatened species.

There are a number of legal and contractual requirements that must be addressed to identify and secure a compliant environmental offset. These include:

• legal requirements on the developer to provide environmental offsets based on the various criteria outlined in State and Commonwealth offset policies.
• contractual arrangements between a proponent (developer) and offset provider (landholder).
• statutory obligations on the landholder providing the offset.
• on-going offset management (e.g. landholder vs. subcontractors, payment schedules).
• security of the offset (e.g. voluntary declaration, covenant, Nature Refuge Agreement, dedication to State as a protected area).

Outcomes

Ecofund Queensland facilitated the delivery of an appropriate offset located in the Northern Brigalow Belt region on a Mt Flora property, near Nebo in central Queensland. This was achieved through a Nature Refuge Agreement between the developer and the landholder.

This site was chosen as a suitable offset for the Blackwater Creek Diversion and Coal Mine Project for several reasons. The offset site is located adjacent to Dipperu (Scientific) National Park, which contains the largest area of undisturbed Brigalow and related vegetation types in the Northern Brigalow Belt, the very vegetation type cleared by the developer. The approved offset will protect the endangered Brigalow ecological community across 765 hectares, including 643 hectares of high value Brigalow ecological community. The offset site also increases landscape connectivity and enhances wildlife migration through wildlife corridors.

The area will be fenced off from grazing, while financial assistance to the landholder will ensure the site is better managed against threats such as fire and weeds.

Evaluation

The Northern Brigalow Belt region is an important biodiversity hotspot for Queensland and is home to some of the world’s most threatened wildlife. Although 90 per cent of the bioregion is currently used for grazing, Ecofund Queensland has been able to work with landholders to maintain a balance between protecting the environment and assisting the industrial development and agricultural needs of Queensland.

Through such an arrangement the landholder, as the offset provider, benefits in two ways. By entering into a Nature Refuge Agreement, and through the Delbessie Agreement, the landholder is able to seek an extension to the term of the property lease. The offset also generates an additional income from the land.

The landholder of the offset site at Mt Flora, Griff Symonds, was very happy with the outcomes of environmental offset.

“I’m very pleased with the process that has seen the area protected as a green offset. What was marginally unproductive land for us is now able to be better managed and I’m proud to be involved in helping to protect areas important to Queensland’s environment,” Mr Symonds said.

Find out more about this project at www.ecofund.net.au/projects.html

Source
Blackwater Creek Diversion, Initial Advice Statement, 2007, Wesfarmers Curragh Pty Ltd.