What is the purpose of Catchment Tender?

The Catchment Tender project provides eligible landholders with the opportunity to tender to supply Salinity Recharge Reduction services on their land to reduce groundwater recharge that is leading to salinity problems elsewhere in the catchment. Visit the Salinity page here.

Unlike traditional grant schemes Catchment Tender allows the landholder to calculate the price they want to receive to participate in the project. This price is entirely at the landholder’s discretion and could include the full cost of materials and labour, and the ‘opportunity cost’ (the cost of income forgone) of excluding grazing for a period of up to five years to allow the trees to establish.

The selection of successful tenders is based on the best environmental benefit for the fairest price.

What has been achieved to date?

The first round of Catchment Tender generated 360 hectares of re-vegetation in the upper catchment steep hill region and the planting of over 70,000 new trees benefiting the entire region through salinity reduction.

The second round of Wimmera Catchment Management Authority’s Catchment Tender, has again delivered an impressive result with Wimmera landholders receiving payments to re-vegetate over 400 hectares by planting 82,000 trees in the upper Wimmera catchment.

Who can apply?

Three priority land areas (called Groundwater Flow Systems) have been identified in the Wimmera Regional Salinity Action Plan as giving highest benefit for salinity control.  The three priority Groundwater Flow Systems are all in the Upper Catchment covered by sections of the Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, and Ararat municipalities.

Tenders are sought from landholders within these priority groundwater areas who are prepared to revegetate areas on their properties. The revegetation work required to participate in the project is wide spaced planting of local over storey tree species.

What is the application process, and are there any particular conditions?

Once applications open, there is a two week window for landholders interested in being paid to reduce saline recharge to register their interest. Landholders who are eligible for the project will be notified by mail.

Landholders who express interest will receive a comprehensive information kit and a visit from a field officer who will assess eligible site(s) and develop a management plan that outlines activities the landholder will need to undertake such as site preparation, fencing, tree planting, pest management and maintenance.

Landholders who offer the best environmental benefit for the fairest price will be rewarded. Successful tenderers will receive a large percentage of the tendered price prior to starting the on-ground works.