Biodiveristy_State of Environment report - Mission Beach Cassowaries

conservation covenant.This can includes examples such as:• Subdivision one bonus (additional) block per 5 ha ofhabitat put into conservation to a maximum of 4bonuses.• Additional house - again one bonus per 5 ha habitat to amax of four bonuses.• More intense development - Backpackers, Eco-tourismtype development. For example, a rural conservationblock in the Mission Beach area put 90% of the block inconservation and developed an Ecotourism typeaccommodation facility. The area is classified ascritical habitat. The remaining 10% was set aside fordevelopment but in reality only a quarter of that hasactually been used for development.WTMA CovenantsTwo covenants with the Wet Tropics ManagementAuthority (WTMA) exist on properties at Bingil Bay. Thearea of these is approximately 30 hectares. The WTMA ispresently encouraging landowners to utilise the ShireCouncil for covenants.Land for WildlifeLand for Wildlife agreements are another incentive topromote the conservation of vegetation on private land.Landholders receive expert advice to assist them inmanaging and conserving native vegetation and fauna.At the end of 2004 there were eight Land for Wildlifeproperties in the Shire. The total vegetation on this landhad an area of 218.9 hectares.Australian Rainforest FoundationThe Australian Rainforest Foundation is a not for profitorganisation that is working towards establishing acontinuous length of connectivity between Cairns andCardwell. So far, two 15 hectare blocks have beenpurchased at Mission Beach. The blocks have since beensold to private owners, but with over 95% of their areassealed under State covenants. These covenants completelyrestrict development in the conservation area and areperpetual.RestorationRevegetation and RehabilitationThe Revegetation Unit is responsible for the majority ofrevegetation and rehabilitation work conducted in theShire, either directly, or through the provision of technicaladvice to landholders. Staff to perform the core duties isprovided through Council, but the majority of the wagesare funded through the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT).Surrounding the staff are almost a hundred volunteers,willing to assist at the nursery or with planting days.The NHT has funded the majority of the work currentlybeing undertaken in the Johnstone Shire. Council hasundertaken most of this work, along with the invaluableefforts of community group involvement.In 2004/2005 revegetation projects were undertaken in thefollowing areas:Revegetation and RehabilitationRehabilitation does not have to specifically deal withtraditional revegetation techniques, it can involve acombination of strategies that enhance and promote theestablishment of native vegetation. A successfulrehabilitation project will almost certainly involve acombination of remnant rehabilitation, enrichment planting,revegetation and promotion of natural regeneration throughstrategic weed control. An integration of severalrehabilitation techniques minimises costs, leads to richerspecies diversity and quicker site capture.Costs for traditional revegetation projects average around$15,000 per hectare but can be as little as $6,000 to $7,000.The actual cost ultimately depends on how much in-kindsupport can be received for the project. In-kind support canbe provided by volunteers in the form of labour, or where alandholder undertakes work to prepare or maintain theproposed rehabilitation site.The more in-kind support received the further the dollargoes. In fact, for every dollar of NHT funding providedthere is about two dollars of in kind support provided by thecommunity and/or local government. Without this support,revegetation would simply not occur in the Wet Tropicsarea.Projects the Revegetation Unit received funding for:35