Incentives for Landholders in response to Revegetation Laws
Australia's property year started with hundreds of farmers marching on Parliament House, Canberra, in support of hunger-striking farmer, Peter Spencer. Farmers, celebrities and inter-state politicians added their weight, calling for a royal commission into property rights and land clearing issues in Australia.
Putting Peter Spencer's personal motivations and dramatic stance aside for the moment, the community debate revolves around compensation for the tonnes of carbon, sequestered as a result of land clearing restrictions. Victoria's response to revegetation laws has been primarily through incentive schemes. For up-to-date advice on revegetation laws and these schemes, it is suggested that landholders discuss options with their solicitor.
Native vegetation laws prevent farmers from clearing certain parcels of land. In 2004 the Productivity Commission produced a report on the impact of these laws. It recorded how many farmers had lost income, how property had been devalued, and the lack of compensation. According to the Commission many farmers have suffered financial and emotional distress as a result of the situation.
Native vegetation are those plants that would have grown naturally in Victoria before European arrival including trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses. It does not include plants that originate from other parts of Australia or from other countries.
Victoria has a wide range of vegetation types described in terms of ecological vegetation classes. It is estimated that private land supports 30 per cent of the important locations for threatened species with 60 per cent of native vegetation types on private land currently threatened with extinction.
To view the different ecological vegetation classes go to the Department of Sustainability and Environment website page at www.dse.vic.gov.au
Victoria's native vegetation is protected by law. Various offences apply to a range of actions concerning native plants. However, uncontrolled clearing of native vegetation in Victoria is becoming a thing of the past due to government incentives for landholders. There are a number of schemes that provide financial benefits to farmers and landholders for protecting and managing native vegetation. These include -
Bush Tender - To protect, care for and improve their native vegetation landholders can bid competitively for contracts. Successful landholders receive periodic payments for their management actions.
Carbon Tender - The primary objective of Carbon Tender is to increase the resilience of ecosystems in a changing climate. Revegetation agreements are being purchased from private landholders using a competitive bidding process.
Eco Tender - Allows landholders to bid competitively for contracts and receive payments from the government for making environmental enhancements to their land. Under eco-tender landholders are paid to manage their land and water resources.
Bush Broker - provides for improvement of biodiversity and for generating new income streams by generating Native Vegetation Credits. Further information can be found at Incentives or Landholders
