5 June 2007
A new round of the Avon Regional Salinity Tender opened this week, providing farmers and landholders with the opportunity to tender for funds to implement management practices to address dryland salinity. A total of $350,000 is to be distributed.
The Avon Catchment Council is providing this opportunity through their Salinity Management project delivered with investment from the Australian and Western Australian Governments National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality.
Over 40 farmers in the region were successful in the first round of the Salinity Tender receiving funding to implement a variety of salinity management options, including planting of oil mallee, sandalwood, tagasaste and deep rooted perennial pastures.
As a result of this opportunity, landholders in the Avon River Basin have been able to improve management of high recharge landscapes, which will help reduce the occurrence of salinity and improve production.
Landholders wishing to address salinity in the valley floor or reduce recharge upslope of salinity prone areas are encouraged to submit an application. Native revegetation, tree crops, saltbush, deep rooted perennial pastures and surface water management are all eligible activities in the Salinity Tender this year.
Applications received will initially undergo a desktop assessment. Following this, site assessments will be conducted to ensure that the proposed activities of Tender bids will achieve the desired outcome of managing surface water and reducing the impacts of salinity.
Catherine von Pirch, ACC Salinity Coordinator suggests, “Salinity management techniques implemented over a large area have been shown to be more competitive than smaller plantings. The aim is to achieve significant change and improvement to the landscape with the Salinity Tender. The applicants have to be competitive and show value for money to be successful in gaining funds through this initiative.”
Landholders and groups in the Avon River Basin are eligible to apply and must submit an Expression of Interest to the Avon Catchment Council by 13th July 2007.
For further information on eligibility and assessment criteria refer to the Expression of Interest form, which is available by contacting ACC Salinity Coordinator, Catherine von Pirch by phone on 9690 2250 or email: cvonpirch@agric.wa.gov.au or visit website: www.avonnrm.org.au/tenders.
Media Contact: Rochelle Pyle, Avon Catchment Council, Ph: (08) 9690 2250