Meeting papers

•     engagement of consultants for services such as ecological surveys or fire management planning and
      approved works;
•     purchase of materials such as herbicide and/or hand tools;
•     purchase of wildlife apparatus such as nest boxes.
Funds cannot be used for the purchase of machinery such as chainsaws, mowers, brush-cutters or tractors.
VCA properties may be eligible for grants and other funding from state and federal governments such as
environmental or carbon offsets.
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 landholder and
contractor/consultant to agree and review works undertaken and identify upcoming works. Agreed works will be
confirmed in writing by Council and co-ordinated by the landholder and contractor/consultant. Once works have
been completed to the satisfaction of Council and the landholder, the contractor/consultant will be paid by
Council. Where the EMP provides an allowance for supply of materials, the landholder shall obtain a quote from
the supplier and provide to Council for written approval prior to funding being expended and provide a tax invoice
for reimbursement of funds. Once the 5 year term is complete, the landholder is eligible for an ongoing annual
property visit from a Council Officer upon request through the Land for Wildlife program. This may involve
discussions on further land conservation management and priorities.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Environment Levy Working Group will make recommendations on which properties to enter into
agreements with.
The VCA Program will be managed by the Environment Services Branch.


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, however this rezoning
doesn’t show on the property title. Split zoning is appropriate for those properties that do not meet the eligibility
criteria for a Conservation Covenant or Nature Refuge in terms of size (less than 5 hectares) or inherent
biodiversity values. As with a VCA, the process is voluntary and is purely driven by a landowner’s aspiration to
protect the native vegetation on their property. The process is that the landowner signs a letter nominating an
area of their property to be rezoned as Environmental Management and Conservation zone and marks up the
nominated area on a map of the property. The balance of the property outside the conservation zone remains in
its original zoning (usually rural or rural residential). To formalise this zoning change under the Noosa Plan,
Council submits planning scheme amendments to the State from time to time. Compliance action in the event of
breaches of the Noosa Plan provisions is the responsibility of Council.
Support for Split Zone Conservation properties
Council will provide support to landowners who have nominated and had their properties rezoned as
Environmental Management and Conservation Zone under the Noosa Plan as follows:
•   A 3-year agreement providing a financial incentive capped at $1500 per annum to be used to improve the
    ecological condition of the rezoned area (such as environmental weed management and revegetation).
    These works will be identified under an EMP. The landowner must demonstrate a commitment to
    maintaining the works past the 3-year funding window by proactively managing their property for nature
    conservation, e.g. invasive weed management, maintaining tree plantings.
VCA AND SPLIT ZONING PROGRAM ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Council
Council will cover reasonable costs associated with the preparation, lodgement, and registration of documents
to give effect to the VCA or Split zoning. These may include:

•   Surveying of the conservation area, and registration of the Conservation Covenant.
•   Negotiation with the state government (including provision of field data) to facilitate a Nature Refuge
    agreement.
•   Developing split zoning landowner correspondence and mapping and undertaking periodic planning

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