Deadline: 12-May-23
The Victorian Government is seeking Expression of Interest (EOIs) for the Victorian Carbon Farming Program (VCFP) to provide an opportunity for private landholders to reduce emissions and build resilience to a changing climate.
The VCFP aims to increase opportunities for Victorian landowners to generate revenue through carbon sequestration by activating properties that are currently only marginally economically viable within the context of the ERF, and in doing so, help to develop and improve Victoria’s carbon farming industry over time.
This program will support private landholders to:
- Plant woodlot, agroforestry and shelterbelt trees
- Leverage opportunities available from timber, carbon or environmental markets
- realise on-farm co-benefits such as shade and shelter for stock, biodiversity values, improved farm aesthetics, among others.
The program will run as a pilot for the first 18 months in the North Central Catchment Management Authority Region. Lessons and outcomes from the pilot will contribute to future funding rounds across the state.
Objective
The objectives of the VCFP are to:
- Incentivise Landowners to integrate shelterbelts and agroforestry plantings on their properties to sequester carbon and deliver co-benefits including wood products;
- Support the private sector to assist Landowners in maximising revenue from carbon, timber or other environmental markets; and
- Improve understanding of Landowner motivations towards growing high value shelterbelts, woodlots or agroforestry plantings.
Funding Information
Registered Project Advisors will be able to apply for:
- Program Sponsorship of up to $20,000 (exclusive of GST) to undertake outreach activities that promote the program and engage with landowners to advocate for their participation.
- Project Grants to be delivered in partnership with landowners to establish tree plantings on private land.
Outcomes
The VCFP Pilot is designed to deliver outcomes that:
- Create new avenues for timber supply to local industry;
- Foster alliances between Landowners and industry professionals who will advocate for the broader uptake of tree growing on properties;
- Contribute to the state’s goal of net zero emissions by 2045; and
- Demonstrate the efficacy of the program’s delivery approach to inform potential design improvements for future iterations of the program.
Eligibility Criteria
Responses to this EOI are invited from businesses that can provide the following:
- Evidence of:
- Australian registration for business (ABN) of an established business entity as at 1 July 2022 or earlier;
- Conducting business in Victoria; and
- currency of all relevant policies of insurance, including Workcover insurance (as applicable), not less than $20 million cover for public liability insurance risks, and not less than $5 million per occurrence for professional indemnity risks.
- Confirmation of:
- Independence from Commonwealth, State and Local government agencies or bodies;
- Not being a publicly funded institution; – not being an industry association4;
- meeting all the industrial relations obligations as an employer in accordance with the National Employment Standards under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth); and
- Willingness to participate in and be bound by the requirements of Opportunities 1 and 2 of the VCFP, including entry into relevant sponsorship and grant agreements.
VCFP Project Requirements
If a Registered Project Advisor seeks and is successful in obtaining a grant to undertake a VCFP Project, the Registered Project Advisor will be required to comply with the requirements of the deed of grant which includes obligations to:
- Collaborate with the Landowner to design the project (including modelling carbon sequestration in FullCAM), and to develop and submit a project application on behalf of a Landowner;
- Enter into an agreement with the Landowner to deliver the approved project;
- oversee the delivery of all project-related activities ensuring adherence to local planning laws, industry codes of practice, environmental regulations and workplace health and safety standards;
- Monitor and evaluate the project, and provide periodic status reports to the Department at specified intervals for a period of 10 years or following the occurrence of a significant disturbance event;
- Act as the primary interface between the Department and the Landowner, including assisting to facilitate the execution of a funding agreement between the Department and the Landowner;
- Where negotiated, administer interaction with carbon, timber, biodiversity markets or other relevant markets on behalf of Landowners; and
- Account to the Department for receipt and expenditure of the grant funds
EOI Response
The Department is seeking EOIs from suitably qualified business entities to be included on a Register of Project Advisors to deliver Outreach Activities, and/or to undertake VCFP Projects in the Pilot Area under the VCFP Pilot (the Register). Responses to the EOI are sought from established businesses who can demonstrate experience and capacity in one or more of the following areas:
- Plantation development/management
- Management of carbon projects using vegetation methods
- Native vegetation establishment and management.
Respondents to this EOI who are included by the Department on the Register as a Project Advisor may be invited to apply for:
- VCFP sponsorship funding to undertake Outreach Activities
- VCFP project grant(s) to undertake VCFP Projects.
For more information, visit Victorian Government.