Delivering Environmental Management System (EMS) implementation training for profitable and sustainable land use in Central Queensland

Government, community and corporations have recognised the importance of responsible management of Australia’s natural resources and environmental issues by developing polices that promote sustainability. Businesses are now obliged to comply with regulations that require them to manage environmental risk. In the agricultural sector, some land managers are developing a proactive response to the twin demands from government and community for sustainable, responsible natural resource management by developing Environmental Management Systems (EMS). Considerable benefits have emerged from landholders pursuing the Australian Land Management (ALMS) supported EMS implementation process. As a result, participants have developed knowledge and skills in relation to environmental issues and have increased their capacity to deal with changing community expectations. They have also altered their focus from being simply production orientated to linking both production and environmental issues. With a view to increasing efficiencies and decreasing the costs of training, the authors realised that an alternative to face-to-face training could provide advantages for many remotely located land managers.