The management and use of private land is important for a range of environmental reasons including: biodiversity conservation, salinity control, maintenance of water quality, land protection, greenhouse and ecosystem connectivity.
The Victorian Government’s BushTender approach, initiated in 2001, aims at improving native vegetation management on private land that leads to improved environmental outcomes at both the local and catchment scale.
Under the tender approach, landholders competitively bid for government investment in return for providing improved biodiversity outcomes on their land. Successful tenders are those that offer the best environmental value for money, with successful landholders receiving periodic payments for management activities under a five year agreement with the Victorian Government.
There is over three million hectares of native vegetation remaining on private land in Victoria. The management of native vegetation depends on the substantial efforts of private landholders. BushTender is one such approach that supports landholders in managing native vegetation that is above their current obligations and legislation.
The management of remnant native vegetation on private land is important because about 60 percent of this native vegetation is of high conservation significance (meaning endangered, vulnerable or depleted). About 29 percent of the remaining native vegetation on private land supports 30 per cent of Victoria’s threatened species populations.
The map below displays the areas BushTender has covered since its inception in 2001.
Summary of BushTender projects (2001–2012)
| Year(s) | BushTender project | Victorian region | Area under agreement (Hectare) | Gain accrual (HHa) over contract period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | BushTender Western Grassland Reserves | Western Grassland Reserve | 88 | 14 |
| 2011 | BushTender Avoca Plains | Avoca Plains | 2,481 | 420 |
| 2011 | BushTender Mega Murray 1 | West of Dimboola | 395 | 73 |
| 2011 | BushTender Mega Murray 2 | Mallee | 2,548 | 438 |
| 2011 | BushTender North East | North East | 1,880 | 250 |
| 2011 | BushTender Central Victoria | Central Victoria | 1,948 | 214 |
| 2010 | BushTender Goulburn Broken | Goulburn Broken | 2,203 | 390 |
| 2010 | BushTender North Central | Central | 1,955 | 300 |
| 2009 | BushTender Northern Plains | Northern | 2,143 | 547 |
| 2009 | BushTender North West | North West | 2,822 | 375 |
| 2008 | BushTender South West | South West | 2,800 | 395 |
| 2007-2008 | Targeted BushTender | Northern Victoria | 7,130 | 1,141 |
| 2006 | Southern Victoria BushTender | South West & West Gippsland | 2,011 | 351 |
| 2003 | BushTender trial – Gippsland | Gippsland | 1,684 | 316 |
| 2001-2002 | BushTender trial - North East/North Central | North East & North Central | 3,163 | 336 |
| Totals | 35,251 | 5,560 |
Habitat Hectare (HHa)= is defined as a site-based measure of quality and quantity of native vegetation that is assessed in the context of the relevant native vegetation type.
Tax concessions
BushTender is an approved Conservation Covenanting Program for the purposes of paragraph 31–5(5)(c) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.
This is only applicable to sites that have been permanently protected through the BushTender program. Read more
Page last updated: 25/07/19