How ambitious should coastal management be in attempting to address catchment-based risks and threats? The difficultly often stems not just from the scale and nature of catchment-based risks, but also from the complexity involved in effectively engaging with the wide range of stakeholders that may exist across a catchment.

This presentation provides a case study in using coastal management to think big. It provides an overview of a management action developed in association with the Woolgoolga Region Estuaries Coastal Management Program (CMP) in the Coffs Harbour LGA.

A significant part of the small catchments draining into the study area catchments is used for Intensive Plant Agriculture (IPA), cucumber horticulture and banana plantations – and agricultural land use practices were identified as a significant risk to estuary health. A large-scale program of environmental improvement was developed for local growers through a specialised process of engagement and negotiation between local agricultural industry stakeholders, DPI-Agriculture, other State Government agencies, and Coffs Harbour City Council.

The planned and sensitive negotiation process was conducted with these stakeholders to develop the Coffs Harbour Intensive Horticulture Environmental Program (CHIEP). The CHIEP empowers local horticulture operators, not only in the study area but across the Coffs Harbour LGA, with financial and technical assistance to improve on-farm management practices, and in doing so, reduce the impacts of horticulture on downstream estuary health.