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Land Sector Package

• Biodiversity Fund
• Indigenous Carbon Farming Fund
• Regional NRM Planning for Climate Change Fund
• Land Sector Carbon and Biodiversity Board.

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The Biodiversity Fund is an ongoing program under the Australian Government's Land Sector Package of the Clean Energy Future plan. It is designed to help land managers establish, manage and improve native vegetation on their land as well as reduce the effects of climate change by improving landscape scale resilience, increasing stores of carbon and reducing greenhouse gases.

What is Northern Australia Targeted Investment 2013-14?

Following the initial round of funding in 2011-12, and before the next round of national funding, the Biodiversity Fund will target Northern Australia with an investment of up to $50 million over four years. The aim is to restore and manage Australia's biodiversity in Northern Australia and improve carbon outcomes across the landscape.

The Biodiversity Fund is targeting Northern Australia in order to maintain and, where necessary, improve the condition, extent and connectivity of native habitats. The unique conditions of this extraordinary tract of land provide a collection of specific challenges for landholders, managers and custodians. This targeted round of funding will contribute to building resilient and healthy ecosystems and communities.

The Biodiversity Fund will fund projects which best target the three themes:

• Protecting and enhancing existing native vegetation
• Managing invasive species in a connected landscape
• Biodiverse plantings.

The Biodiversity Fund is particularly interested in larger-scale projects spanning different land tenures and land uses. It will encourage individuals, organisations and communities to work in partnership to achieve landscape-scale carbon and biodiversity outcomes. A partnership approach will help to share knowledge, including Indigenous ecological knowledge, and build capacity in Northern Australia. Projects will need to run from two to four years.

What is 'Northern Australia'?

Northern Australia is defined as the connected regions of Cape York, Wet Tropics and North East Queensland, the Top End and Gulf Country, and the Kimberley - see the map below. To be eligible, 90 per cent of a project's area must be within the Northern Australia investment boundary.

What are the key dates?

The Biodiversity Fund will be making first payments for the targeted investment in Northern Australia in 2013-14.

For this round of the Biodiversity Fund, a two-step application process has been introduced. This process involves assessment of a short
expression of interest, followed by an invitation to proceed to a full application stage.

Important dates:

• Expression of interest period: 5 November 2012 - 4 December 2012
• Full application period: Early March 2013 - Early April 2013

What projects are eligible?

To be eligible, projects must:

• link to the Biodiversity Fund's themes
• run over a period of two to four years
• be seeking a minimum grant amount of $500 000
• have at least 90 per cent of each project site located in the Northern Australia investment boundary.

Detailed information on eligibility requirements, types of eligible activities and assessment criteria can be found in the Grant Application Guidelines.

Who can apply?

Any individual or organisation capable of entering into a legally binding contract can apply, provided they meet the eligibility criteria in the Grant Application Guidelines.

Need more information?

For more information or to apply:

• visit www.environment.gov.au/cleanenergyfuture
• email biodiversityfund@environment.gov.au
• call the information line on 1800 008 678.