Mosaic Map: NRM funded projects
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Making conservation pay: a new approach to saving the volcanic plains
Over 50 private landholders across a biodiversity-rich region of South West Victoria are being paid to protect patches of native vegetation to save what remains of the threatened landscape.
Thousands of square kilometres of the volcanic plains, stretching across 2.3 million hectares west from Melbourne to Portland, south to Colac and north to Beaufort, were once covered by native grasslands, wetlands and woodlands.
Today these grasslands are found on just 4.5 per cent of the fertile region, most of which lies on private land cleared for agriculture. All of the remaining vegetation is threatened as well as the species it supports, such as the Corangamite Water Skink and Eastern Barred Bandicoot.
Funding
A project to protect and improve the quality of the vegetation left in the region has received about $3.8 million from the Australian Government as well as cash and in-kind contributions from the Victorian Government.
What sets it apart from other conservation initiatives on private land is an incentive scheme that supports landholders in managing and conserving vegetation patches.
The project is led by the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and also involves support from the Glenelg-Hopkins, North Central and Port Phillip and Westernport CMAs.
Activities
Project Coordinator Chelsea Langley said private landholders were invited to bid as part of a tender process for the management services they were prepared to offer to improve their native vegetation.
"Bids were assessed on the basis of a site's conservation value, the services offered and their cost. Bidders were selected on the basis of value for money and offered four-year management agreements," Chelsea said.
Prior to bidding, a field officer visited interested landholders to assess the significance and quality of their native vegetation and to discuss management options, such as excluding stock, erecting fencing or controlling weeds. Once landholders identified the actions they were willing to undertake, the field officer developed a management plan as the basis for the bid.
An extensive awareness campaign was carried out to improve understanding of the unique nature of the plains region, and to encourage landholders and communities to help in its conservation.
Achievements
Contracts have been signed with 54 landholders to manage 4,380 hectares of land across the plains for conservation. The agreements cover a diverse range of vegetation types, most of which are vulnerable or endangered. Landholders have also permanently protected 580 hectares through conservation covenants.
More information
- Chelsea Langley, Project Coordinator, Corangamite CMA: (03) 5232 9115 or Chelsea.langley@ccma.vic.gov.au
- Victorian Volcanic Plains website: www.ccma.vic.gov.au/home/vicvolcanicplains
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