NatureAssist

NatureAssist funded management action (EPA photo)

NatureAssist is the incentive component of Queensland’s Nature Refuge Program. NatureAssist provides financial assistance for landholders who actively manage the natural and/ or cultural assets of their property.

The NatureAssist:

is designed to encourage and assist the conservation of private lands in Queensland; and
recognises new and existing nature refuge landholders

Financial assistance is offered via two venues – a competitive incentives tender and transfer duty and land tax refunds.

To receive funding, landholders will need to enter into a nature refuge agreement. These agreements are negotiated directly with landholders and tailored to suit individual management needs, in a way that balances the needs of the environment and the business goals of landholders.

Expression of Interest

If you are interested in submitting a tender for NatureAssist it is simple.

The first step is to complete the single page ‘Expression of Interest’ form. The ‘Expressions of Interest’ form is then assessed to determine whether the lands nominated in the application contain significant conservation values and whether they are eligible for NatureAssist funding.

If you have any queries when filling out your ‘Expression of Interest’ form we are only a phone call away—1800 603 604.

135 Expressions of Interest have been submitted for round 2. These expressions of interest cover over half a million hectares of nature refuges across Queensland, primarily in rural areas. Landholders will be contacted in the near future once assessment of properties is completed.

Expressions of Interest for round 2 are now closed. Expressions of Interest for round 3 will be called in 2008

Will my project be funded?

A range of partners inject funds into NatureAssist, which in turn enable landholders projects to be funded. The logos of current partners are shown below.

The main source of NatureAssist funds for the 2007 round is thorough the Queensland BluePrint for the Bush Environmental Partnerships Scheme. This partner is particularly keen to fund projects in rural Queensland. Proposals elsewhere that have high conservation values may be considered under other funding sources.

Funds provided by the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Water Strategic Reserve focus on nationally prioritised Bioregions and regional ecosystems.

Some Natural Resource Management Bodies (funded under the Commonwealth Natural Heritage Trust) will provide funds, their priorities are determined at their regional level.

The Environmental Protection Agency, which coordinates and administers NatureAssist, will try to match tenders that are recommended for support with suitable funding programs. However, a matching funding program cannot be guaranteed for every proposal, and we are continuing to work with possible funding partners to extend the range of funding and support that may be available to landholders.

Click on map to view larger size image, or download print-friendly version (pdf, 1.7MB)

Properties located in the area covered by the SEQ Regional Plan (dark green on the map) are ineligible under the Environmental Partnerships Scheme. Other funding in this area and in this round of NatureAssist is unlikely due to prior commitments.
Properties located within 10 kilometres of the Central Business Districts of those key urban centres named on the map are probably ineligible under the Environmental Partnerships Scheme (but exceptions could apply if it is demonstrated that the property is “rural” and of outstanding conservation value).
Properties located in the area of the map shown in lime green are probably eligible under the Environmental Partnerships Scheme, but outstanding conservation value has to be demonstrated in order to be a priority. There are other funds available in most of these areas in addition to the Environmental Partnerships Scheme.
Properties located elsewhere (orange on the map) are generally eligible and are a priority under the Environmental Partnerships Scheme. There are other funds available in many of these areas in addition to the Environmental Partnerships Scheme.

Tender development

Where a property is assessed as being suitable as a Nature Refuge through the Expression of Interest stage, the landholder is invited to submit a tender for financial assistance to actively manage the natural and/or cultural assets of the property through on-ground management activities that maintain or enhance these values. Examples include:

managing particular areas to allow for natural revegetation;
fencing to protect environmentally sensitive areas;
establishing watering points away from sensitive areas (such as mound springs);
eradicating weeds and pest animals; and
establishing, developing and refining effective conservation management.

All eligible landholders expressing an interest for existing nature refuges are invited to tender. Please note, landholders who have already entered into a nature refuge agreement and are interested in receiving incentives tender funding must propose activities that offer a higher level of protection and management than required by their existing agreement.

Nature Refuge Officers located throughout Queensland play a significant role in assisting in the tender development process and commencing negotiation of a nature refuge agreement (or additional provisions for existing agreements). Nature Refuge Officers support landholders through one-on-one advice about how to best manage the natural and cultural values that their nature refuges are preserving. Nature Refuge Officers are not permitted to provide advice on the financial components of a tender. Landholders may choose to seek independent financial advice.

Landholders may withdraw from the NatureAssist/nature refuge process at any time prior to signing a nature refuge agreement. However, once a nature refuge agreement has been signed, the landholder is bound to honour the agreement, as are all future landholders.

Tender assessment

Each tender submitted is assessed against all other tenders on the basis of ‘value for money’, considering:

the existing conservation value of the land;
the dollar amount of each tender; and
the overall conservation outcome of the management services provided.

Successful tenders will be those that provide the best conservation outcome for the least overall cost.

Each landholder who has submitted a tender will be notified of the decision by mail. Landholders who are not successful in obtaining funding are encouraged to resubmit a tender in a subsequent round.

Distributing funds

Funds are distributed for successful tenders after the landholder and the Minister for the Environment have signed either a new nature refuge agreement, or an altered agreement containing funding provisions.

Successful landholders should not make any financial purchases or commitments until payment occurs.