2017 BANKSIA NATURAL CAPITAL AWARD

Murray-Darling Basin Balanced Water Fund by The Nature Conservancy Australia in partnership with Murray-Darling Wetlands Working Group and Kilter Rural, VIC

Operating in the world’s largest water market, the Murray-Darling Basin Balanced Water Fund is the first water investment fund in Australia to address balanced environmental, agricultural, social and financial outcomes. The Nature Conservancy Australia, a not for profit organisation dedicated to the conservation of the lands and waters on which all life depends, established the Murray-Darling Basin Balanced Water Fund to provide water security for Australian farming families while protecting culturally significant wetlands that support threatened species. The Fund invests in permanent water rights in the Southern Murray-Darling Basin and allocates those rights in a smart way. When water is scarce and agricultural demand is higher, more water will be made available to agriculture. When water is abundant and agricultural demand is lower, more water will be allocated to wetlands. It is a win-win, aligning the interests of people and nature.

Finalists:
• GreenCollar Group, NSW