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Environmental Stewardship

Box Gum Grassy Woodland Project - Lachlan and Murrumbidgee

Bidding

What if I am not sure if I have Box Gum Grassy Woodland on my property?

Contact the Delivery Agent who can help to determine if you have Box Gum Grassy Woodland on your land.

What if I am not sure whether I want to be involved in the Box Gum Grassy Woodland Project?

Involvement in the project is voluntary. You are not bound by having a site inspection. There are no penalties for deciding not to go ahead. At any time prior to deciding to sign a contract you can decide not to continue.

Are there any rules relating to applications on leasehold land?

Lessees can participate in the project provided the following conditions are met:

• The conditions of the lease do not prevent any of the proposed activities or actions to conserve an area of Box Gum Grassy Woodland on the land.
• You have the authority to enter into a contract with the Australian Government.

Can I submit a bid to manage a site under this project if I already receive assistance to manage a site?

If you are currently receiving funding support from any source for conserving Box Gum Grassy Woodland on your land then you cannot bid through this project for the same activity on the same site.

If you have a covenant on a Box Gum Grassy Woodland site that requires you to undertake certain management activities for which you receive no remuneration, you can submit a bid, provided other eligibility criteria are met.

Can I submit more than one bid?

You can submit only one bid for each legal property you own. Land owners who hold more than one legal property can submit one bid for each, if eligible. If you place a joint bid with neighbours you cannot also submit a single bid for that property.

• Joint bids fact sheet (PDF - 493 KB)

What happens after the contract ends? Can I sign-up again?

Contracts under the Box Gum Grassy Woodland Project can be for up to 15 years and funding for the full period of the contract is secure. At this stage, it is not possible to say what the Government may offer beyond the end of individual contracts.

If I miss out this time can I apply another time?

Yes, should another tender round be offered. If you are interested in participating then you are encouraged to do so at this first opportunity.

Finance

When should I start consulting financial advisers and others about my bid?

If you consider that you are likely to proceed with a bid you should seek advice early. This could help you with costing the management activities you want to carry out for inclusion in your bid price. Fencing contractors and suppliers of herbicides may be able to assist with costing some of the physical activities you might undertake.

If, in order to manage an area of woodland, you can demonstrate some loss of income due to altering or stopping a current land use, you may include this cost in your bid price. For assistance in assessing these costs you may wish to talk to your accountant/financial adviser.

You should also check with

• your financial adviser or the Australian Tax Office regarding the possible taxation implications of your proposed bid
• Centrelink about any impacts on your Centrelink entitlements
• a legal adviser regarding your obligations under the contract you will need to sign with the Australian Government.

For more details please see our fact sheets:

• Taxation of payments under the Box Gum Grassy Woodland Project (PDF - 395 KB)
• Stewardship payments and Centrelink (PDF - 334 KB)

Is the income received through the project subject to income tax?

Yes. Payments received under the project will be subject to income tax. See the Taxation of payments under the Box Gum Grassy Woodland Project fact sheet above for further information.

Will this income affect my eligibility for drought assistance or any other Government assistance?

Possibly. If you have any concerns about these matters, we suggest you talk to your financial adviser or to Centrelink. See the Stewardship payments and Centrelink fact sheet above for a broad understanding of these matters.

Will I be audited?

A random sample of project contracts will be independently audited each year. Any land manager subject to audit will be contacted well in advance and appropriate arrangements will be made to ensure any visits happen at a mutually convenient time for the land manager and the auditor.

Management

What happens if a natural event affects the woodland I am contracted to manage?

The Australian Government recognises that from time to time significant natural events, such as floods, droughts, bushfires and storms, severely impact on natural resources. For this project, these impacts are seen as beyond the land manager's control.

What happens if I cannot meet my obligations in the contract in the agreed time frames?

If you cannot meet your obligations within agreed time frames, you need to let us know as soon as possible. We will then consider the circumstances and discuss an appropriate way forward. This may include revising management actions, an extension of timelines or termination of the contract.

What will I need to do if, after signing a contract, my circumstances change and I wish to sell my land?

The contract does not prevent you from selling your land. But the contract requires that you inform the Australian Government about any changes in land ownership that may occur within the contract period. This allows the Australian Government the opportunity to discuss the option of the potential buyers taking over the contract.

How long do I need to sign up? Can I change my mind about the length of the contract?

Whilst contracts will be for a minimum of 4 years, and no longer than fifteen years, the Australian Government has a clear preference for long term contracts. You should carefully consider the length of the contract that you offer because it cannot be changed once the contract is finalised.

What will be my reporting requirements?

You will be required to submit an annual report on your progress implementing the agreed actions, as outlined in the contract. The reporting requirements will be simple, and should be considered in your bid. Please see our fact sheet further information:

• Monitoring and evaluation of the project (PDF - 371 KB)

Will Government representatives or service providers at various times require access to my property?

Government representatives and service providers employed by the government will need access to your property from time to time for the length of your contract.

Before entering your property an authorised Government representative will:

• contact you and arrange a suitable time.
• not enter your land without you or your representative present.
• respect and comply with your reasonable safety and security procedures.

We anticipate that there will be periodic monitoring every 2-3 years for a sample of sites, but all access visits to your property will always need to occur with your permission.

If endangered species or noxious weeds are found on my property will that affect how I am allowed to farm my property?

Noxious weeds are a land manager's responsibility under existing state and federal laws. The cost of managing other weeds which may compromise the value of the Box Gum Grassy Woodland can be included in your bid as can the management of weeds listed as Weeds of National Significance.

If endangered species are present, then that illustrates why the Government is willing to provide incentives to protect the woodland. No inspection will be made of other areas of the property. Any discussions about management options will be for the area nominated by the land manager only and may affect how this area is farmed. They will not affect the rest of the property.

More information on the Australian Government's market based projects can be found at: www.marketbasedinstruments.gov.au 

More information

How can I find out more about the Box Gum Grassy Woodland Project?

The Lachlan Catchment Management Authority (CMA) in partnership with the Murrumbidgee CMA is delivering the first round of the Box Gum Grassy Woodland project in the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee catchments on behalf of the Australian Government and should be contacted for further information in the first instance.

They may be contacted on their hotline 1800 239 453, OR
Email: boxgum@cma.nsw.gov.au

Information on the Box Gum Grassy Woodland project and Caring for Our Country Environmental Stewardship Program can also be found by contacting:
Caring for our Country Hotline on 1800 552 008