Environmental Stewardship Program

Expressions of Interest – Environmental Stewardship Program 2019/20

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River is currently seeking Expressions of Interest from rural landowners to apply to join the Environmental Stewardship Program for 2019-20. Funding can be used either for the preparation of an Environmental Management Plan or implementation of an existing plan.

Download a copy of the guidelines and an application form.

Please contact Rebecca Kevill on (08) 9780 5207 or rkevill@amrshire.wa.gov.au for more information.

All application forms must be submitted to the CEO, Shire of Augusta Margaret River, PO Box 61 Margaret River or by email rkevill@amrshire.wa.gov.au  by 4pm Friday 14 February 2020.

Background

The Stewardship Program is an initiative of the Conservation Incentive Strategy (CIS). The CIS was endorsed by council 12 May 2010 which includes five incentives as follows:

1. Stewardship Program
2. Grants and Subsidies Program
3. Subdivision for conservation policy
4. Developer incentives
5. Environmental Management Fund

The provision of incentives for biodiversity conservation on private land demonstrates the commitment of the Shire to biodiversity conservation and acknowledges the efforts of private landholders to manage and protect natural areas.

Purpose and Objectives

The stewardship program aims to “fill the gap” between existing stewardship programs operated by external agencies such as Land for Wildlife and National Trust programs. The purpose of the program is to educate landholders on how to retain and enhance native flora and fauna on their properties.

The objectives of the Stewardship program include

• To encourage the voluntary conservation and protection of natural areas on private land, by providing a stewardship program incentive to protect biodiversity values.
• To protect natural areas on privately owned rural land so that the Shire's environmental, conservation, and biodiversity values are managed correctly in to the future.
• To encourage and facilitate conservation of threatened flora/ vegetation types/ fauna, and regional environmental corridors/linkages.