Local Land Services - Funding available for Lithgow Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project More information Huw Evans E. [email protected] P. 02 6350 3117 A. PO Box 3109 Bowenfels 2790 This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government About the project The Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project stretches along the western edge of the Blue Mountains escarpment from the Capertee Valley in the north to the Tuglow River in the south. The region is rich in biodiversity values and supports a unique array of native plants and animals. The project helps landholders manage these values by protecting and enhancing the condition and connectivity of native vegetation and ecosystems on their property. This will be achieved through management of threatening processes, assisted regeneration and targeted revegetation. Project sites can support terrestrial, riparian and wetland vegetation within the area identified in the project area map (jpeg 1425KB). Landholders may receive financial and technical support to improve infrastructure and management of this vegetation with the aim of improving its condition and resilience to future climate change. Project sites that address one or more of the following will be prioritised: Projects that contain Threatened Species habitat or Threatened Vegetation Communities; Projects on high value waterways; Projects which are cost effective and provide good outcomes ; or Projects adjacent to high value biodiversity assets such as the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area What sort of assistance is available? The Blue Mountains Biodiversity Restoration project can provide funding for: Threat management to enhance the condition of native vegetation including: The control of invasive environmental weeds Minor erosion control works Stock exclusion (including alternative stock watering points if required) Supplementary planting to improve native diversity Activities that improve the habitat value of the site (e.g. installation of nesting boxes) Revegetation utilising either native tubestock or direct seeding Site preparation and maintenance Fencing to protect revegetation from stock What is the process? Expressions of interest (EOI) will open in January 2015 and will remain open until funding is allocated. To apply, complete a Blue Mountains Biodiversity EOI form and return it to the Central Tablelands LLS by post or email. Once you have completed and returned the relevant EOI form, a Central Tablelands LLS officer will contact you to discuss your project and organise a site visit. During the site visit the Central Tablelands LLS officer will help develop your potential project. They will calculate the environmental benefit of the project as a score based on existing condition of the site and the potential project. A management agreement will be generated. Should you wish to proceed with the project, please sign and return before the funding offer expiry date. Funding availability is limited and is offered on a first come, first served basis, based on the date the EOI was received by the Central Tablelands LLS. Any incomplete will be returned and will result in a new submission date. How to apply? To apply, complete a Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project EOI form and return it to the Central Tablelands LLS. You can download the EOI form directly from our website centraltablelands.lls.nsw.gov.au or contact your local Central Tablelands LLS Office. Return by mail (hardcopy). Print the EOI form (doc 388KB), complete and post to: Central Tablelands LLS Attn: Funding Administration Officer PO Box 510 Cowra NSW 2794 Apply online. Complete and submit the online form here. You will receive a reply email to confirm receipt of your application when it is submitted. Project standards Current contractual arrangements. Landholders with current Central Tablelands LLS agreements or from Catchment Management Authorities must have completed their contractual obligations (including monitoring). Project implementation time. All project works must be completed within 18 months of the contract start date. Stock-proof fencing. All fencing must be managed in a stockproof condition for at least 10 years. Conventional fencing must be a minimum of six lines, electric fencing a minimum of three lines. Hot wires for electric fencing must be at least 300mm from ground level to allow for movement of wildlife and minimise shorting potential. All fencing must be at least 10m from top of bank, with an average of 20m, when fencing creeks or drainage lines. Boundary fencing is ineligible for funding. Guarantee of management. All stock access to the project site must be controlled for the length of the management agreement (including access from either side of the waterway during periods of low flow. Stock are to be excluded from revegetation areas for the length of the agreement (10 years) to allow plants to establish. Alternative stock water supply. Available only where stock access to water will be lost because of project works (eg project fencing has removed access to a creek or dam). Funding is limited to a maximum of one alternative watering point per paddock affected. Major farm water supplies will not be funded under this activity. Permits and Approvals. All relevant permits and approvals for farm water supply dams must be obtained from or approved by appropriate Government Agencies prior to the commencement of any works. Exotic plant and pest animal control. All pest animals and exotic plants must be controlled on the site for the duration of the agreement. Monitoring and evaluation. Applicants are required to adhere to and maintain annual monitoring records for 10 years, as per the Central Tablelands LLS monitoring program. Project sites must be made available for scientific monitoring activities as organised by the Central Tablelands LLS. Field day activities. Applicants must either make their activity site available for the Central Tablelands LLS to conduct educational field day activities or provide information for case studies. Revegetation. Planting corridors must provide an average minimum width of 20m (excluding infrastructure areas). Corridors should link 2 areas of remnant vegetation with a minimum size of 1 Ha. Planting densities should be a minimum of 200 and a maximum of 400 seedlings per hectare for woodland and a minimum 300 and a maximum 600 seedlings per hectare for forest. Site preparation. Weed control measures will involve a minimum of three targeted applications of knock down herbicide to prepare sites for direct seeding and/or seedling planting. As a guide, at least 12 months weed control activities should be undertaken to prepare a site. Planting activities will be organised by the landholder once weed control activities have been implemented. Species selection. All plants must be native species grown from seed collected as locally as possible. Seed for direct seeding must be native, be collected from locations as close to the site as possible and reflect the species that would naturally be found at the site. Species will be chosen by the Local Land Services with a minimum of three canopy, three midstorey and three groundcover species for tubestock planting and a minimum of 3 canopy and 3 midstorey for direct seeding. Any changes to species lists due to stock availability should be done in consultation with the Local Land Services. Species survival. A minimum of 50% survival rate for tubestock planting must be achieved by the landowner. The installation of additional plantings to achieve this survival rate will be the responsibility of the landowner. Protected regrowth. Projects funded under the Native Vegetation Revegetation project will result in the native vegetation within the project area being classified as protected regrowth. Protected regrowth requires consent to clear under the NSW Native Vegetation Act 2003. Legislative requirements. Applicants should be aware of and comply with their legal responsibilities under legislation relevant to the project. centraltablelands.lls.nsw.gov.au/our-region/financial-assistance
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 18:56:23 +0000
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