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Guidelines:
Funding to protect, restore and
connect priority coastal wetlands
“Realise the Potential of Wetlands” program.
Applications close 16 May 2014
Funds are available for on-ground activities to protect, restore and connect identified
priority coastal wetlands. Funding is available for up to 3 years (till 30 June 2017).
The purpose of these guidelines is to provide information to assist you in developing on
ground projects that align with the investment priorities of the Realise the Potential of
Wetlands program. Please contact the relevant Local Land Services Officer in your
region before submitting your project application.
1. Background
South East Local Land Services (LLS) was successful in attracting funding from the
Australian Government to protect and restore 32 priority coastal wetland complexes in
southern NSW. The project originally titled, ‘Realising the potential: Connectivity and
carbon storage in NSW coastal wetlands’ aims to increase coastal wetland habitat
resilience and health through targeted on-ground works as well as supporting regional
communities to adaptively manage wetlands within the wider landscape.
2. Objectives
South East LLS will work with partner agencies, public land managers, landholders and
community organisations to protect and restore 1000ha of coastal wetlands. This
includes 60ha of biodiverse plantings, 100ha of vegetation protected or enhanced and
840ha of wetland habitat managed to decrease the impact of invasive pest species.
Onground works funded through the Realise the Potential of Wetlands program will:
 Maintain wetland function:
o Strengthen wetland habitat resilience and health through establishment
of vegetated buffer zones, restoring connectivity and targeting priority
pest infestations.
 Establish, manage and enhance native vegetation:
o Reconnect wetlands and create stepping stones between riparian forest,
floodplain vegetation and wetlands through targeted revegetation,
restoration and removal of barriers to flow.
 Increase carbon storage:
o 1000 ha of wetland acting as a storage for blue carbon.
 Increase resilience to climate change:
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o Improve wetland health and connectivity to strengthen ecosystem
resilience.
o Create refugia.
o Support regional communities to adaptively manage wetlands and build
resilience to climate change within the wider landscape.
3. What are we looking to invest in?
South East LLS is looking to invest in projects that protect, restore and connect a
minimum of 1000ha of priority coastal wetlands including saltmarsh, mangroves,
coastal floodplain, swamps, lakes and estuarine areas.
Funds can be allocated towards:
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Revegetation to maintain, enhance and connect vegetation buffers, address
erosion or improve habitat.
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Fencing to control stock and damage from recreational access.
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Removal and control of weed species.
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Feral animal control including fox, rabbit, deer, goat and pig.
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Removal of barriers to flow such as removal or modification of floodgates and/or
crossings.
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Support local community groups and or landholders to manage wetlands.
South East LLS is contracted to deliver to the Australian Government 1000ha of
coastal wetland protected, restored and or connected across 32 priority wetland
complexes. As such, our priority for investment is wetland areas including saltmarsh,
mangroves, coastal floodplain, swamps, lakes and estuarine areas. Riparian areas will
be considered but are a low to medium priority relative to these other wetland types. (If
your project is primarily focused on riparian areas then please call us to discuss
funding opportunities.)
4. Priority wetlands
Realise the Potential of Wetlands program builds on work undertaken in partnership
with WetlandCare Australia to map, classify and prioritise wetlands, using existing
spatial data, within the south east coastal region. Data relating to each wetland value
and potential threats was collected and used in the prioritisation process, giving each
wetland an overall Potential Threat Score and Potential Conservation Value Score.
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These scores were used to identify 32 priority wetland complexes for protection,
conservation and condition improvement. These 32 wetland complexes formed the
basis of the funding application submitted by South East LLS to the Australian
Government and are accordingly a priority within the framework of the Australian
Governments Biodiversity Fund. Coastal wetlands within the region are important and
valuable to the community for a range of reasons. Wetlands that do not appear on the
priority list are important and valuable but unfortunately they are not the focus of this
particular funding program.
Priority wetland complexes include:
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Bellambi Lake
Lake Illawarra
Elliot Lake
Minnamurra River
Coomonderry Swamp
Shoalhaven River
Wollumboola Lake
Callala Creek
Currambene Creek
Swan Lake
Berrara Creek
Conjola Lake
Burrill Lake
Tabourie Lake
Termeil Lake
Durras Lake
Runnyford/Buckenbowra
Clyde River
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Tomaga River
Lower Donalds Creek/Moruya
River
Congo Creek
Tuross Lake
Potato Point
Lake Brou
Lake Mummuga
Wallaga Lake
Wapengo Lagoon
Nelson Lagoon
Wallagoot Lake
Bega River
Pambula Lake
Towamba River
Wonboyn Lake
A CD, Healthy Wetlands for Healthy Catchments, containing maps and a decision
support database was forwarded to all public land managers in region in 2010 and you
may have a copy readily available. If not maps of priority wetland complexes are
available on request.
5. Eligibility
To be eligible, applications must meet the following criteria:
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Projects must be undertaken within an identified priority wetland complex.
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Projects must support delivery of the program objectives and contribute
hectares of priority wetland areas protected, restored and or connected.
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Applications must include meaningful cash or in-kind contributions. The general
minimum accepted ratio is 50:50 (cash and in-kind).
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Project activity costs should be reasonable and reflect true cost of activity
(ensure you consult with your Local Land Services Officer regarding your
budget).
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Project outputs should be cumulatively delivered throughout the life of the
project and reported on a 6 monthly basis.
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All projects must include a detailed monitoring and evaluation plan
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Mapping is required for all on-ground works using ArcGIS. Or if you use
different software mapping will need to be provided as ESRI shapefile. All maps
must specify project attributes as outlined in Attachment 1.
6. Other criteria
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There is no specific limit to the amount of funding available per project per year
or across the next 3 years. However, projects need to provide value for money,
align with the program budget profile (Table 1) and support South East LLS to
meet its contractual arrangements with the Australian Government.
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There is no limit to the number of applications you can submit.
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Projects across multiple sites and multiple years will be considered.
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Projects across multiple years are required to be ‘staged’ with delivery of
discrete outputs on a 6 monthly basis (aligned with reporting around May and
December of each financial year)
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Commitment to maintaining works after the project completion date is very
strongly encouraged and will significantly increase the competitiveness of your
application e.g. inclusion of the site in your organisations recurrent works
schedule (schedule of works).
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Projects should be completed at the end of each financial year. Staged projects
to be completed by 30 June 2017.
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Where applicable projects should address the recommendations of site specific
management plans, such as an Estuary Management Plan or Wetland Health
Assessments and Site Action Plans developed (see Attachment 2 ).
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Projects that work with multiple land owners and include coordination and of
delivery of outcomes across public and private land are encouraged.
7. Ineligible Activities
The following activities are ineligible for funding from South East LLS
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Activities which are considered an individuals, groups or governments
responsibility for sustainable management of resources under their control.
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Purchase of equipment or materials that are normally part of a landholders
responsibility for the management of their property.
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Activities required by law, Development Approval conditions of consent or other
legally directed activities.
8. Available Funding
There is $786,560 available to public land managers across the life of the Realise the
Potential of Wetlands program. Funding available each financial year is detailed in
Table 1
Table 1: Funding available to public land managers
2014-15
$380,000
2015-16
$203,280
2016-17
$203,280
Total
$786,560
In developing the configuration of your project budget, especially for multiple year
projects you should consider Table 1.
Calls for project funding will be made each financial year until all the project funds are
allocated.
Funding, additional to that outlined in Table 1 is available for works on private land.
Where applications from public land managers incorporate work on private lands it may
be possible to access these additional funds.
9. How will the applications be assessed?
Applications will be competitively assessed using the eligibility and other criteria
detailed above. In making its final recommendations, the assessment panel will
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consider the following to ensure that South East LLS can meet its contractual
arrangements with the Australian Government
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The total number of hectares of priority wetlands protected, restored and or
connected delivered each financial year and capacity to meet contractual
agreements across life of the program (2017) including:
o
60ha biodiverse plantings.
o
100ha of wetland vegetation protected and enhanced.
o
840ha of wetland habitat managed to decrease the impact of invasive
pest and animal species.
Note: Projects that fail to deliver project outputs on a 6 monthly basis will not be
able to be supported.
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Total number of priority wetland complexes where work is being undertaken –
all 32 priority wetland complexes must be addressed through the program.
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Alignment of total project costs each financial year with budget profile (Table 1).
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Large investments in a single project over one wetland complex is less likely to
be funded unless the project focuses across numerous land tenures and works
with multiple owners to deliver significant outputs.
10. Conditions of receiving Realise the Potential of Wetlands funding
Successful applicants will need to enter into a management agreement with South East
LLS outlining the commitment of both parties with regards to: timeframes for delivery;
payment schedules; project milestones; insurance; publicity; monitoring; and reporting.
Successful applicants will be required to provide progress reports and a final report.
This information will be compiled by the Southern East LLS and reported to Australian
Government.
Reporting will be simple and will be a description, measure and map of the work
undertaken. Reports will be submitted to South East LLS around May and December of
each financial year. Applicants will need to ensure cumulative delivery of outputs to
align with these reporting requirements.
Applicants who fail to deliver agreed project milestones will be required to return project
funds to South East LLS.
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11. Preparing your application
To apply for funding applicants will need to complete the Realise the Potential of
Wetlands Application Form, available from the Local Land Services Officers.
All applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss the details of your project with the
relevant Local Land Services Officer in your region, before submitting your application.
Local Land Services
Officer
Narelle Jones
Local Area
Contact
Illawarra,
Shoalhaven
Sonia Bazzacco
Eurobodalla, Bega
Kirsti Sampson
All areas
02) 4429 4455
[email protected]
(Available Tuesday, Wednesday
Thursday)
(02) 4475 1006
[email protected]
(Available Tuesday, Wednesday
Thursday)
(02) 4475 1004
[email protected]
APPLICATIONS CLOSE 12pm Friday 16 May 2014
Email your application to: [email protected]
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Attachment 1: Attributes to be recorded and mapped
Note this table contains the attributes related to the most common project outputs. Depending on your project activities other attributes
may be required. Please contact your relevant Local Land Services Officer if you are planning to deliver outputs/undertake activities that
are not detailed in the table.
Output
Measure
Activities that contribute to
output
Attributes to be recorded/data collected
Area of wetland
native vegetation
enhanced/rehabilitat
ed/protected
Hectares
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Fencing
Weed control
Pest control
Reveg to assist
rehabilitation
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Wetland/vegetation type
Length of fencing and area protected
Fence type
Threatened species present
EECs or TEC present
Area of bidiverse
planting
(revegetation)
Hectares
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Site preparation
Planting native species
Direct seeding
Stock exclusion and
fencing
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Wetland/vegetation type
Species list
Number of tube stock
Kilos/ha of direct seeding
Streambank length if revegetation is along
water course
Area of pest plant
control
Hectares
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Spraying
Mechanical removal
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Weed species treated and significance
Method of removal
Output
Area of pest animal
control
Area of erosion
control
Measure
Hectares
Activities that contribute to
output
Attributes to be recorded/data collected
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Cut and paint
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Shooting
Trapping
Poison
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Primary or secondary treatment
Length of streambank (if applicable)
Pest animals species treated
Control method
Initial or follow up
Area of influence (specific to pest control
method)
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Control engineering
works
Stabilisation engineering
works
Exclusion fencing
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Area treated
Area protected
Length treated
Erosion type
Work or structure type
Type of pipe
Diameter of pipe
Water storage and supply
Purpose of implementation
Area protected from stock
Number of artificial barriers removed
Length (km) of instream habitat established
Area of wetlands with connectivity reinstated
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Alternative water
supply
Removal of barriers
to flow
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Removal /modification of
barriers to flow eg
floodgate removal
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Attachment 2 Wetland Health Assessments and Action Plans
Management plans may exist for your project site such as Estuary Management Plans
or other site specific plans. In addition to these plans, WetlandCare Australia has
undertaken a number of Wetland Health Assessments and developed high level Action
Plans for some of the priority wetland complexes. These Health Assessments and
Action Plans should be used in conjunction with other relevant plans and can provide
guidance for your project and should be referred to in developing your project.
Wetland Health Assessments and Action Plans are currently available for the following
wetland complexes:
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Bellambi Lake
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Coomonderry Swamp
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Lake Illawarra
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Minamurra
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Shoalhaven River Estuary
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Bega River
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Mummaga Lake
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Potato Point
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Wapengo Lake
Contact South East LLS for more information and a copy of any relevant plans