Prevention is better than a cure - this applies to being well informed and having plans agreed on by all parties involved, if you are intending to host a renewable energy project on your land. With extensive on-ground experience helping landholders navigate the mine fields involved in repairing erosion, subscidence, failed rehabilitation, and overland water flow disturbance that is a result of CSG (Coal Seam Gas) infrastructure and operations on their land, I believe I am in a position to guide landholders when it comes to soil, vegetation, or water impacts that a renewable energy project may have. Often landholders bring in my help after the problems start to manifest.
It is advisable to seek this help during the negotiation phase, so that many potential impacts are prevented, and those that can't be prevented - a rehabilitation managment plan is ready to be implemented when they occur. This stratergy significantly reduces the costs (time, money, and stress) involved, as well as helping to maintain a strong working relationship between the landholder and the proponent; unlike waiting until you need a cure.
Recently I attended both the Renewable Energy in Ag Conference & Expo (held in Toowoomba) and a Community Consultation on Renewable Energy in Miles (facilitated by the Queensland Renewable Energy Council). Both events had informative speakers providing insights about the industry and were well attended. There are many people and businesses doing great things and are genuiney trying to 'do better' - for the environment, humanity, and the economy. However, when it comes to ensuring landholders are well informed and that the environment and landholders are not adversley impacted, the industry has room to improve... and NO 'we' have not learnt from the CSG industry, or at least the lessons & (slightly) improved legislation & regulations are not being carried across to the renewable energy sector, despite many sprooking this.
Just because a landholder is not obligated to negotiate or host renewable energy projects, dose not mean that the potential unintended impacts of these projects is any less relevant than those caused by the CSG projects. Soil, water, plant, and animal management needs to be planed differently to 'business as usual' when a resource or energy business is negotiating with the landholder to construct & orperate their business on your land. This involves consulting with an independant person/business that has hands-on experience in this field, not just relying on information for landholders provided by bodies such as Coexistence Queensland (Gas Field Commission) and QFF.
If you have or are negotiating with a resourse or renewable energy business and would like independant guidence regarding biosecurity, soil, water, and rehabilitation managment, please contact Marcia at Whorl Ag. Finding out how we can help will only cost you a few minutes of you time, but is likely to save you time, money, stress, and soil in the future.
Note: I am not anti-renweables or CSG, I am anti not learning from past mistakes.
