REVISED POLICY GUIDELINES- PRIVATE LAND CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS · Policy Guideline - Private Land Conservation Partnerships Final with attachments

POLICY GUIDELINE – Private Land Conservation Partnerships


•   Costs cannot be claimed for unexpended VCA funds from previous financial years.
What funds can be used for under the EMP
The type of works or materials required will be identified in the agreed EMP. Examples include:
•     Engagement of contractors for ecological restoration works and fencing or barbed wire fence
      removal.
•     Engagement of contractors for invasive species control.
•     Engagement of consultants for services such as ecological surveys or fire management
      planning and approved works.
•     Purchase of or reimbursement for materials such as herbicide and/or tools necessary to
      conduct environmental restoration activities.
VCA properties may be eligible for grants and other funding from Council (LfW incentives), state and
federal governments.
VCA funds cannot be used for works that are a regulatory requirement such as a condition of
development or subject to compliance action by a regulatory authority.
Commissioning works
The EMP priorities will be discussed on-site annually with a Council officer, the landowner and
contractor to review works undertaken and identify upcoming works. Agreed works will be confirmed
in writing by Council and co-ordinated by the landholder and contractor. Once works have been
completed to the satisfaction of Council and the landholder, the contractor will be paid by Council.
Regarding reimbursement of materials and tools the landholder shall obtain a quote from the supplier
and submit to Council for written approval prior to purchase. The landowner then provides a tax
invoice to Council for reimbursement of funds.
Rate refund
A component of the annual incentive can be negotiated with the landholder to go towards a refund
of the general rate amount. A rate refund will only be considered by Council when all management
tasks specified under the EMP have been substantially achieved, and only if the full rates payable
on the property have been paid by the landowner for past and current rating periods. The
allowable amount going towards a rate refund will be determined by the size of the conservation
area expressed as a percentage of the total property size (see below). For example, if 50% of the
property is within the conservation area then the rate refund will be 50% of the general rate.

                                                                   100
                           * the available rate rebate cannot exceed




                                                                       90
                               the determined financial incentive




                                                                       80
                                                                       70
          Rebate Eligibility
                                       (% of general rate)




                                                                       60
                                                                       50
                                                                       40
                                                                       30
                                                                       20
                                                                       10
                                                                       0
                                                                            0   10     20     30     40    50     60     70     80     90    100
                                                                                % of Total Property Area Com prising the Conservation Area



SPLIT ZONING CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Council can split zone a property to place the nominated conservation area under Environmental
Management and Conservation zoning, which is then protected under provisions of the Noosa Plan,
                                                                                                                                                   Page 4