Ipswich City Council

Conservation

Enviroplan Private Landowner Support Programs

Voluntary Conservation Agreements

Voluntary Conservation Agreements (VCA's) are cooperative agreements between a land owner and Council. They provide both financial and technical support to assist landholders in the management of privately owned bushland and other natural features outside of Council's parks and reserves or other government reserves.

There are three levels of Conservation Agreement available to suit the needs of individual land owners and properties. All agreements are voluntary and do not restrict future sale of land. Support may include; annual Land Management Payments, newsletters and educational materials, weed control rebates and free trees.

Nature Conservation Agreements (NCA)

This agreement offers the highest level of support for the land owner. The NCA level is available to land owners passionate about the environment with properties situated in the Conservation or Rural E (Special Land Management) Zone with large areas of high conservation value vegetation. The NCA is Ideally suited to properties of 10,000m² (1ha) and above.

The Nature Conservation Agreement benefits include:

The highest level of annual land management payments;
Priority eligibility for Ipswich City Council's annual Conservation Agreement Grant for land management projects;
Eligible for up to $1000 Environmental Weed Control Rebate annually;
Invitation to special events and activities;
Up to 200 free plants each year; and
Access to newsletters, workshops and more.

Bushland Conservation Agreements (BCA)

This agreement is also for the land owner within the Conservation Zone or Rural E (Special Land Management) Zone. The agreement however offers a lower level of land management payment and caters for properties with smaller areas of native vegetation. The BCA is Ideally suited to properties of 10,000m² (1ha) and above.

The Bushland Conservation Agreement benefits include:

Annual land management payments;
Eligibility for Ipswich City Council's annual Conservation Agreements Grant for land management projects;
Eligible for up to $1000 Environmental Weed Control Rebate amount annually;
Invitation to special events and activities;
Up to 200 free plants each year; and
Access to newsletters, workshops and more.

Waterways and Nature Corridors Agreements (WNCA)

The Waterways and Nature Corridors Agreements are suitable for properties situated in a strategic linkage or waterways identified by Council's Nature Conservation Strategy and waterway mapping layers. The WNCA is suitable for any property size within nature corridor or adjoining waterway.

Waterways and Nature Corridor Agreement landowners are eligible for:

Up to $800 Environmental Weed Control Rebate annually;
Access to the annual conservation grant funding (subject to selection and approval criteria);
Invitation to special events and activities;
Up to 200 free plants each year; and
Access to newsletters, workshops and more.

Wildlife Partnerships

If you wish to protect wildlife habitat on your property even though your land may be small or managed for other purposes, then Wildlife Partnerships may be for you.

Being based on non-binding agreements, both types of Wildlife Partnerships are more flexible and less formal than Voluntary Conservation Agreements. Whether you manage a farm, a bush block or a small urban block, all you need to start with is a small area of native vegetation and a desire to attract native wildlife.

Land for Wildlife (LFW)

Land for Wildlife is a voluntary scheme which encourages and assists private landholders to provide habitat for wildlife on their property, even though the property may be managed primarily for other purposes.

If you wish to protect wildlife habitat on your property, then the Land for Wildlife scheme can offer you advice and assistance. Whether you manage a farm, a bush block or a small acreage, all you need is a hectare or more of native vegetation.

Land For Wildlife members are eligible for:

Up to $800 Environmental Weed Control Rebate annually;
Invitation to special events and activities;
Up to 200 free plants each year; and
Access to newsletters, workshops and more.

Habitat Gardens (HG)

The Habitat Gardens Program is for owners of properties under one hectare who are interested in providing habitat around their home for native animals. This program is ideally suited to properties in a more urbanised setting where our native flora and fauna are struggling to compete against increasing pressures from humans and introduced plants and animals.

If you want to create a native garden with all the right food plants and nesting places for our native fauna then this is the program for you.

Habitat Gardens Partnership participants are eligible for:

Up to $800 Environmental Weed Control Rebate annually;
Up to 30 free native plants, from the council's nursery;
Quarterly editions of Council's Environment Matters Newsletter and more.

Please note the 30 free native plants are divided into 2 categories:

8 plants of any species can be selected by yourself as per your rates notice.
The remaining 22 of your free plants will be selected from a list of native tube stock varieties. Council nursery staff will help to ensure you obtain the correct species for your situation.

You can sign up for the Habitat Gardens program via:

Online Application Form
Habitat Gardens Sign Up Form (PDF, 210 kb)
Phone Council on (07) 3810 6666

Completed application forms are to be sent to:

Ipswich City Council
PO Box 191
Ipswich QLD 4305

or via email to Ipswich City Council.

Environmental Incentive Program

Land owners participating in one of Council's conservation partnership are able to benefit from an environmental incentive package each year. The package may include one or more of the following - wildlife nesting box, extra free trees, extra weed rebate for the year or water saving products etc. The environmental incentive package has been designed to provide our conservation partners with just that little bit of extra support.

All participating land owners will receive notification of the incentive packages via mail when it becomes available.

Other Assistance Available

The following support is also available to all ratepayers across the city:

Environmental Weed Control Rebate - Rebates of up to $600 a year are available by application only.
Free Plant Program - Residents qualify for a minimum of 8 free plants a year.
Educational Material - A range of fact sheets, booklets and brochures are available covering a range of environmental and recreational topics.

For more information on any of the programs above please contact Council on (07) 3810 6666.

Last Updated 27 Feb 2012 |

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