The first batch of successful projects have been selected under the Australian Government’s Enhancing Remnant Vegetation Pilot.
Over $7 million has been offered to 54 projects. Assessment of the remaining projects is still underway and further successful projects are expected to be announced shortly.
The Pilot shares links with the recently announced national voluntary Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Market legislation. This legislation, which is currently before Parliament, will underpin a national agriculture biodiversity stewardship market scheme that will recognise and financially reward farmers for their efforts to enhance or protect native vegetation.
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said the pilot was an opportunity to reward farmers for their stewardship of the land.
“Farmers have been managing biodiversity on their farms for decades and it’s time they were paid for it,” Minister Littleproud said.
“It’s a step towards a market-based solution that pays farmers for their environmental stewardship of the land.
“The first round of the Enhancing Remnant Vegetation pilot is being trialled in six Natural Resource Management (NRM) regions: Burnett-Mary in Queensland; Central West in New South Wales; North Central in Victoria; NRM North in Tasmania; Eyre Peninsula in South Australia; and South-West in Western Australia.
“Each successful application will receive a biodiversity payment offer in return for undertaking specified management activities to protect and enhance the remnant native vegetation.
“Projects will vary from farm to farm, from fencing off native vegetation and undertaking enhanced weed control to protecting pockets of remnant vegetation and linking them through revegetated corridors.
“This is a chance for farmers to get paid in a way that helps to drought-proof their businesses.”
