Land for Wildlife program

 

Land for Wildlife program guidelines

Program objectives

Land for Wildlife (LfW) is a regional program that runs throughout South-East Queensland (SEQ) with a network of properties spread across the majority of SEQ Council areas. The Land for Wildlife program on Redlands Coast is a free, non-binding, voluntary and action orientated program that supports landholders to manage wildlife habitat on private land. The program provides assistance through education and partnering with landholders to improve environmental knowledge, manage threats such as weeds and pest animals and increase habitat through the establishment of wildlife habitat/corridors. It also aims to encourage landholders to integrate nature conservation with other land management objectives.

Registered landholders in the Land for Wildlife program receive a LfW sign, quarterly newsletters, and can apply for assistance each financial year to undertake environmental improvement works to enhance the habitat values on their property. Financial assistance is limited and ranges from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $750 (excl GST) per property per financial year. Applications for financial assistance are submitted through Council’s online SmartyGrants platform and assessed for eligibility against criteria in this guideline to ensure conservation outcomes.

Who can apply?

To qualify for the Land for Wildlife program, your property must be:

• previously registered in the program or have a minimum of 1ha of intact bushland for full registration
• managed in a way which pursues the conservation management of native flora and fauna values
• managed in a way which supports the integration of nature conservation with other land management uses
• undertaking environmental improvements on the property e.g. revegetation activities to improve habitat values.

Projects eligible for financial assistance

Projects eligible for funding must be approved by the Environmental Partnerships (EP) Officer and undertaken within the plan boundaries of the property registered to the Land for Wildlife program and include:

• revegetation that focus on restoring and enhancing remnant bushland habitat and wildlife corridors with local native plant species. Revegetation projects may include the following items:
  • endemic plants – only plant species listed in the Regional Ecosystem and Vegetation Association guide relevant to your property will be approved for revegetation projects
  • aged forest mulch from our pre-approved suppliers, up to 10 cubic metres – the amount of mulch must be relevant to the number of plants being planted e.g. minimum of 10 plants per 1 cubic metre of forest mulch
  • Terracottem – 1 x 750g bottle/100 plants being planted
  • tree guards, jute matting/mat squares, pins, and stakes relative to the proposed planting.

• environmental weed control and management that focuses on restoring and enhancing remnant bushland habitat and wildlife corridors, to assist improving fauna movement throughout the landscape
• planting of specific food or host plants for threatened species such as Richmond birdwing butterfly, koalas and greater gliders
• supply and/or installation of habitat nest boxes/possum drey kits with a maximum of 2 boxes and/or dreys per financial year.  Boxes must be installed in bushland areas in mutually agreed trees/locations identified and tagged during a property visit and must remain on site in perpetuity.
• removal of barbed wire fencing
• supply of materials for landholders to construct a floating wetland to assist with improved water quality
• supply of basic wildlife friendly fencing to exclude stock from waterways
• minor sediment and erosion control projects to reduce impacts on waterways and enhance water quality. Erosion control materials in conjunction with planting as deemed necessary include bidim, jute mat, pins, coir logs and stakes.
• silt fencing and stakes to construct a holding area to store weeds preventing them from re-entering the waterway while they are solarising
• worm farm or compost bin once 200 or more plants have been planted through the program.

Projects ineligible for financial assistance

Projects ineligible for financial assistance include:

• works that are outside of the registered property boundaries
• planting of non-endemic species e.g. species not included in Regional Ecosystem and Vegetation Association guide relevant to your property
• activities that fall within normal landholder responsibilities e.g. garden beds, maintenance of mown areas, fencing and buildings
• landscaping works for visual amenity e.g. garden beds
• costs associated with any permit required for funded works
• works that do not provide clear environmental benefit
• activities and costs associated with a previous project or monies spent through the program
• fauna traps.

What are landholders expected to contribute to the partnership of the Land for Wildlife program?

It is expected landholders match the programs funding 1:1. Contributions can be made as monetary contributions and/or in-kind contributions i.e. use of own labour, equipment, resources, or materials. In-kind contributions are costed at $43.30/hr e.g. $736.10 equated to 17 hours of labour.

What are the project monitoring and maintenance requirements?

The landholder is required to undertake a minimum of 12 months on-going monitoring and maintenance of Council funded works completed through the Land for Wildlife program. Monitoring and maintenance may include but is not limited to the following:

• follow up watering of newly revegetated areas to ensure plants have the best chance of survival.
• follow up environmental weed control e.g hand weeding and/or weed treatment to ensure environmental weeds continue to be managed appropriately following works undertaken by Council.
• follow up maintenance of sediment and erosion control works.
• ongoing monitoring and maintenance of nestboxes/possum dreys/floating wetlands.

Non-compliance

At Council's discretion, the following activities will result in deregistration from the program or be ineligible for future financial support:

• not contributing i.e. via in-kind to projects being funded by Council.
• not actively managing known threats on the property e.g. environmental weeds
• clearing native vegetation, excluding approved fire access tracks, on the property and/or clearing works previously funded by Council.

Loan items

Participants of EP programs also have access to loan equipment for weed control, planting and cane toad management on their properties. All loaned items must be returned within 2 weeks of the loan date unless otherwise approved by your EP Officer. Items also must be returned in the same condition they were given out.

Items that can be loaned through the EP programs include:

• lantana popper
• power planter
• fauna camera
• toadinator cane toad trap
• tadpole bucket trap (lures for this trap must be purchased by the participant as they are a poison and cannot be supplied through the program)
• extension hose and stand
• floating boom.

Contact information

For more information regarding the Land for Wildlife program, please contact the Environmental Partnerships Team on 3824 8611 or email environmentalpartnerships@redland.qld.gov.au.