Nature Refuge Information Sheet
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is assisting landholders to formally protect the significant natural and/or cultural values on their property through the Nature Refuge Program.
National parks alone cannot maintain the amazing diversity of plants, animals and cultural diversity found in Queensland. Landholders can play a vital role in protecting the state’s biodiversity by establishing a nature refuge on their property.
Nature refuges
A nature refuge is a voluntary agreement between a landholder and the Queensland Government that acknowledges a commitment to preserve land with significant natural and/or cultural heritage values in perpetuity. Each nature refuge agreement is negotiated directly with the landholder and tailored to suit their management needs.A nature refuge is a class of protected area under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
Nature refuge agreements
A nature refuge agreement, negotiated between the EPA and the landholder, outlines those activities that can occur on the nature refuge. As a landholder, you can negotiate a nature refuge agreement incorporating activities ranging from grazing to recreation, so long as those activities are managed sustainably and are appropriate for the protection of the values you wish to protect.A nature refuge agreement is perpetual on freehold land, attached to the land title, and binds successive owners of the land. A perpetual agreement is the best means for landholders to ensure that the good land management practices and restoration work that they have initiated will be continued when future generations or new owners take over.
A nature refuge agreement can apply to the whole property or only to certain areas, depending upon the values and the future intent of the land.
Owners of freehold land, lessees of State land, State departments and local councils are able to enter into a nature refuge agreement. Nature refuge agreements over leasehold lands are for the duration of the lease and bind successive lessees.
Flexibility
Nature refuges:• allow landholders to retain ownership and management;
• recognise outstanding land management practices;
• allow for primary production;
• allow for timber management;
• allow for recreational activities; and
• do not change public access to the property.
Determining suitability
An area nominated for a nature refuge is assessed by an EPA Nature Refuge Officer and the condition, trend and proposed future use of the area will be discussed. Consideration will be given to:• areas containing, or providing habitat for, plant and animal species that are rare or threatened;
• habitats or vegetation types that are threatened, such as endangered and of concern regional ecosystems;
• habitats and ecosystems that are poorly represented in existing reserves;
• remnant vegetation;
• movement corridors for native animals, especially those linking areas of remnant vegetation or existing reserves;
• significant wetlands, including mound spring communities; and
• cultural heritage.
Procedure
Landholders who are interested in protecting the conservation values of their land may approach the EPA about options for protecting these values. Alternatively, the EPA may identify land suitable for a nature refuge agreement and approach the landholder.In both cases, with agreement from the landholder, the local Nature Refuge Officer will explain the process of developing a nature refuge agreement and declaring a nature refuge, discuss any concerns the landholder may have, visit the area to evaluate its conservation value and discuss management issues.
If the landholder and the EPA wish to proceed, a draft nature refuge agreement is produced in consultation with the landholder.
Each nature refuge agreement is negotiated directly with the landholder and tailored to suit the management needs of the site and the needs of the landholder. Once the details of the agreement are settled, the landholder and the responsible State Government minister sign the agreement.
Incentives and assistance
When a landholder signs a nature refuge agreement they are supported by a network of Nature Refuge Officers located throughout the state. These officers support landholders through one-on-one specialist advice on how to best manage the values that their nature refuges are preserving.Establishing a nature refuge also provides access to a range of specialist community groups and other programs that can provide training and support with expertise, volunteers and specialist activities, such as seed collection, revegetation programs and weed control.
EPA also coordinates a statewide incentive scheme called NatureAssist, which provides a number of incentives for landholders interested in establishing a nature refuge, as well as existing nature refuge landholders. Under this scheme, landholders can bid for financial incentives through a competitive tender process in return for undertaking a range of activities to protect and manage areas of high conservation value on their property.
Landholders who have recently purchased their property and entered into a nature refuge agreement may also be eligible for a refund of the transfer duty paid on purchase of the land for the area under a nature refuge agreement. Landholders required to pay land tax may be eligible for a refund of the land tax for the land under a nature refuge agreement.
Land value
Because a variety of factors influence the overall value of a property, it is impossible to know whether land valuations will change when a nature refuge agreement is established. Buyers looking for land with a nature refuge status as evidence of good land management are becoming more common; however every land holding is different and may not draw interest from such buyers.Conditions
Nature refuge agreements are legally binding contracts and must contain conditions designed to ensure that the values contained within the nature refuge are managed appropriately today and into the future.Conditions are openly negotiated and tailored for each individual landholder. Conditions written into the agreement will always be clearly explained and discussed with the landholder prior to signing to ensure that mutual obligations are understood and achievable. In most cases, if an area is eligible as a nature refuge, this generally indicates that your current management practices are compatible with the environmental needs.
Once the property has changed hands, responsibility for the nature refuge rests with the new owners.
Changes to the agreement
Although conditions are negotiated and incorporated into a nature refuge agreement for the duration of the agreement, the Nature Conservation Act 1992 does make provision for changes to agreement conditions through negotiation with the Minister for Environment, as long as the nature refuge values are retained.If a landholder feels changes are necessary to the conditions of the agreement they will need to discuss the issues with a Nature Refuge Officer. It may be possible to accommodate the concerns without altering the agreement.
Terminating an agreement
Although there are provisions within the Nature Conservation Act 1992 for the termination of a nature refuge agreement, they would only be made under exceptional circumstances.A nature refuge is designed to provide permanent environmental and cultural protection of the land and as such, it is vitally important to recognise the commitment to preserving those values.
Costs of establishing and maintaining an agreement
The EPA will cover all costs associated with establishing a nature refuge agreement, including statutory legal costs and boundary survey work (if required).
The titleholder retains management responsibility of the nature refuge and as such, all costs associated with the day-to-day management of a nature refuge remain the responsibility of the landholder, unless the nature refuge is eligible for financial assistance.
Benefits
A nature refuge:• becomes part of a network of protected areas contributing to the conservation and protection of Queensland’s biodiversity;
• combines protection with ecologically sustainable use of the land;
• protects the property’s conservation value for future generations;
• is tailored to suit the landholder and the management needs of the property; and
• involves EPA in providing conservation management advice.
Contact
For more information on Nature Refuges contact:
EPA Brisbane
Phone: 1800 603 604
Email: naturerefuge@epa.qld.gov.au
Website: www.epa.qld.gov.au/naturerefuge
Nature Refuge Officers
Atherton (07) 4091 8177
Emerald (07) 4982 4555
Maryborough (07) 4121 1817
Moggill Office (07) 3202 0222
Rockhampton (07) 4936 0511
Roma (07) 4622 4266
Toowoomba (07) 4699 4326
Townsville (07) 4796 7789
Burleigh Heads (07) 5520 9600
Mackay (07) 4944 7834
Longreach (07) 4652 7333
(Information current as of May 2007)
Last updated: 27 July 2007
