Rate rebate scheme for native vegetation
If you are a landowner who voluntarily protects native vegetation of significant conservation value, you will receive a rates rebate.
Remnant native vegetation
The patches of native vegetation (known as remnants) that have not been cleared over the 200 years of European settlement can be highly significant from a biodiversity conservation perspective.
In addition, remnant vegetation serves many other important functions including animal habitat, carbon storage, hydrological regulation, water and air purification, and soil stabilisation. Remnant vegetation can also provide amenity value.
The majority of native vegetation in the Hobart municipal area (outside of Wellington Park) consists of wet and dry eucalyptus forest and woodland. Of these two groups, the dry eucalyptus communities have been cleared to a greater extent and are therefore generally more significant from a conservation perspective.
A number of dry eucalyptus forest/woodland communities that occur in the municipality are listed as ‘threatened’ under the Nature Conservation Act 2002 and are particularly significant.
Further information on Tasmanian native vegetation communities can be found on the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment website.
The rates rebate scheme
To acknowledge and reward the efforts of landowners, and to encourage other interested landowners to participate in remnant vegetation, the City of Hobart offers discounted rates for private properties where areas of native vegetation with significant biodiversity values are formally and voluntarily protected.
The annual rates rebate is $6.04 per hectare protected, with a minimum rebate of $60.40 per property and a maximum rebate of $604 per property. Participating property owners will automatically receive a reduced rates bill each year.
Eligibility to receive the rebate
Only property owners who have voluntarily entered into either a Conservation Covenant or Part 5 Agreement that places restrictions on the use of the area so that the ecological values are maintained are eligible for the rebate.
Landowners who have been required to enter into Part 5 Agreements or Conservation Covenants to offset the impacts of a development (e.g. under a planning permit or Forest Practices Plan) are not eligible for the rebate.
Conservation Covenants
Conservation Covenants are approved and administered through the state government's Protected Areas on Private Land (PAPL) program under the Nature Conservation Act 2002.
The PAPL program is particularly interested in areas that are greater than ten hectares in size and are in good condition – vegetation that has a diversity of species, has limited management issues such as weeds, and ideally is linked to other areas of native bush.
Conservation Covenants normally only charge a portion of the establishment costs. Landowners may also be eligible for land tax exemptions and will receive free management advice and a free management plan for the ‘reserve’.
Further information about the PAPL program can be found on the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment’s Managing Natural Resources page
Applications for Conservation Covenants should be made directly to the PAPL program.
To apply for the rates rebate once a conservation covenant has been obtained, simply forward to the City of Hobart’s environmental development planner your contact details and copies of:
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the current land title documents for the property
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the Conservation Covenant registered on the Certificate of Title
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the correspondence from the PAPL program when the Conservation Covenant was approved.
We will provide you with confirmation of receipt and approval of the rebate application.
Part 5 Agreements
Part 5 Agreements are approved and administered by the City of Hobart under the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993. The majority of costs associated with Part 5 Agreements are borne by the landowner, however we will assist you with the drafting of agreements. Costs associated with Part 5 Agreements include legal drafting and registration of the agreement on the property title.
To apply for a Part 5 Agreement, you need to submit an expression of interest for our consideration, which include details of landowner(s) names and contact details, the Certificate of Title reference and details of the size and location of vegetation being considered for protection. Expressions of interest should also include as much information as possible about the vegetation proposed for protection (e.g. any flora/fauna assessments that have been carried out, condition of vegetation, known threatened species habitat, time since significant fires) and any threats to the ecological values of that vegetation (e.g. weeds, grazing, feral animals).
Council will consider Part 5 Agreement applications for areas of any size and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis considering a number of criteria such as size, shape, condition, vulnerability, habitat value and rarity.
Under most circumstances successful Part 5 Agreement rebate applications will need to meet the following criteria:
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The area proposed for protection contains vegetation that is classified as being of state, bioregional or local significance or being important threatened species habitat on City of Hobart’s geographic information system.
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The area protected is one hectare or more and is contiguous with other substantial sized areas of vegetation or is not likely to be vulnerable to degradation from surrounding land uses.
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The vegetation is in good condition and would require little ongoing management to maintain those values.
Further Information
For further information about the rates rebate scheme or Part 5 Agreements please contact our Environmental Development Planner on 03 6238 2168.
For further information about Conservation Covenants and the Protected Areas on Private Land program, including contact details for officers of the program, visit please the PAPL web page