Developing commercial carbon & biodiversity opportunities for indigenous communities on Cape York

This is an opportunity to invest in developing Carbon Markets on Cape York. Carbon Planet is working with Balkanu Cape York Development and the Cape York Institute to develop commercial carbon and biodiversity opportunities for indigenous communities on Cape York.

We have developed a project that will demonstrate the feasibility and potential commercial scope for carbon abatement and biodiversity investment products on indigenous land holdings. The project will take place on the diverse coastal savannah
and rainforest lands owned by the Lama Lama Land Trust along the coast of Princess Charlotte Bay.

We are looking for partners to invest in this project an opportunity to put corporate social responsibility into action in partnership with indigenous land owners on Cape York.

Invest in the development of carbon markets through a project offering the full spectrum of benefits for communities and the environment.

Project Description
Carbon abatement through Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) projects offers the single largest opportunity for cost-effective and immediate reductions of carbon emissions Stern Report (2006) and McKinsey Report (2007)

In order to achieve long term economic sustainability quality carbon projects must consider the needs of people and the environment together, striking a sustainable balance between production and protection.

Cape York Peninsula has been recognised as an area of significant cultural value and as one of the most biodiverse and scenic regions of Australia. The Cape York bioregion includes habitat for a large number of rare and threatened flora species. It contains highly diverse ecosystems ranging from rainforests, woodlands, shrublands heaths, sedgelands, grasslands and mangroves, in a relatively intact condition. Cape York is also recognised for its cultural
landscape and is home to a number of Indigenous Australian communities.

Approximately 60% of the Cape Yorks population are Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander, belonging to more than 50 named traditional land owning groups. Statistically, however, this population is one of the most disadvantaged groups in Australia.

The Lama Lama Land Trust is an active community looking at building a strong future for their people through business development, entrepreneurship and employment delivered, in part, by real opportunities presented by the emerging carbon economy.

Project Aims
Balkanu, Carbon Planet, the Cape York Institute, and the Lama Lama Land Trust propose to undertake a pilot project to assist not only Lama Lama people, but all indigenous land owners in Cape York, participate in the Carbon economy.
This will be the first project of its kind on eastern Cape York, enabling indigenous land owners to make informed choices about managing their land, and undertaking carbon abatement projects. The project will principally focus on opportunities arising under the Land-use, Land-use Change and Forestry sector, recognising the importance of projects that provide the option for those people who want to stay on country and
work on country to also participate in the
mainstream economy.

Investment in this ground breaking pilot project will provide the Lama Lama people and other communities on Cape York with the opportunity to improve land and sea management through sustainable financial returns.

The Project Area
The Lama Lama people are traditional owners for the lower Princess Charlotte Bay country on eastern Cape York Peninsula. The Lama Lama Land Trust owns lands previously held as Silver Plains, Lillyvale (Tuulwa), Running Creek (Yaakarru), and Marina Plains pastoral leases. The lands are adjacent to the newly established McIlwraith Range National Park, an area of outstanding beauty and biological richness.

The Lama Lama holdings have a history of pastoral use and include a combination of modified and natural environments from coastal ecosystems to savanna woodland, wetlands and rainforest. These natural values and past management history present a range of opportunities for potential carbon abatement activities including:

- Forestry, for plantation establishment or environmental plantings;
- Forest management;
- Fire management;
- Feral animal control;
- Grazing land or grass land management;
- Wetland management.

Within these potential carbon abatement activities are important biodiversity outcomes such as bird and turtle nesting habitat protection.

Project Outcomes
The primary outcomes of this project will be a practical demonstration of the process required to develop a carbon abatement project. Outputs will include:

- A well defined concept for carbon and biodiversity income generating activities;
- An eligibility map presenting the potential options for carbon abatement projects;
- A feasibility assessment of project activities and outcomes (the business case);
- Documentation of the process;
- Documentation of the lessons learnt, barriers encountered and recommendations for regulatory or policy reform required to progress participation in projects by indigenous land holders;
- Presentations to land-owners, communities and organisations;
- Knowledge transfer to community and other participants with respect to schemes, standards and ecosystem service opportunities.

An investment opportunity
Balkanu is looking for investment partners to contribute to raising $90,000 for this project. This will fund the scientific and environmental assessments of the country, financial modelling, community liaison and education programs, and reporting.

This project presents a unique opportunity for Corporate Australia to make a meaningful contribution to an indigenous community with a drive to realise opportunities for growth and development.

Your investment in this project will assist the Lama Lama people to make informed choices, take responsibility for their land, build sustained participation in the economy and generate long-term employment and income options. While this carbon abatement project is principally designed as a demonstration project, it is expected to result in the implementation of land use change abatement activities that generate tradable carbon credits.

Opportunities may exist in the future for investors to negotiate access to carbon
credits that are certified to National and/or international standards.

Certainly, it is a great opportunity to build a strong corporate relationship with the Lama Lama people, and the broader Cape York indigenous community through Balkanu and the Cape York Institute. Corporate investors will be clearly identified as being part of this exciting project, and in the broader sense will be playing a part in the ground breaking Cape York Welfare Reform Agenda.

Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation
Balkanus mission is to support the economic development of the Aboriginal people of Cape York, and individuals and communities to achieve self determination. Balkanu is part of the Cape York Agenda for Welfare Reform. The CEO of Balkanu is Gerhardt Pearson.

Cape York Institute
This project is underpinned by the objectives of the Cape York Agenda for Welfare Reform and is supported by The Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership. Through Executive Director Noel Pearson, the Cape York Institute champions reform in Indigenous economic and social polices and supports the development of current and future Cape York leaders.

Lama Lama Land Trust
The Lama Lama Land Trust is the organisation established to manage the lands granted to the Lama Lama peoples under the Aboriginal Land Act. The Chairperson of the Trust is Mr Gavin Bassani.

Carbon Planet
Carbon Planet is an Australian based carbon management company with a dedicated
Origination and consultancy service that has extensive domestic and international market experience. Carbon Planet partners with businesses and land owners to identify opportunities for the origination of carbon credits and the generation of sustainable revenue streams through ecosystem services.

Project Partners
For more information contact:

Balkanu:
Greg Bowman
Business Development Manager
t: +61 7 4019 6232
m: 0417 755 876
e: greg.bowman@balkanu.com.au

Gavin Bassani, Chairperson Lama Lama Land Trust
m: 0418 982 308
e: gavb07@yahoo.com.au

Project description: 
Balkanu, Cape York Institute, Lama Lama Land Trust, and Carbon Planet P/L have developed a project that will demonstrate the feasibility and potential commercial scope for carbon abatement and biodiversity investment products on indigenous land holdings. The project will take place on the diverse coastal savannah and rainforest lands owned by the Lama Lama Land Trust along the coast of Princess Charlotte Bay.
Lead Organisation: 
Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation
Lead WWW: 
Contact Name: 
Greg Bowman, Business Development Manager Balkanu
Contact Phone: 
07 4019 6232
Contact Mobile: 
0417 755 876
Contact Fax: 
07 4051 2270
Contact Email: 
greg.bowman@balkanu.com.au
WWW: 
http://www.yoursite.org.au (N.B. must begin with http://)
Support Type: 
Financial investment in the demonstration project.
Current Partners: 
Currency Type: 

Funding Amount:

Region: 
Queensland - Cape York - Coen