As part of the State’s recovery from the economic, social and other impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) has implemented a number of recovery projects including four under the Green Jobs Plan. Two of these are Offset Funds for Recovery (OFFR) and Native Vegetation Rehabilitation Scheme (NVRS) programs:

• The OFFR program has a budget of $8 million (from the Offsets Fund set up for the purposes of Part V Division 2 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986) over three years to establish native vegetation that restores the biodiversity values identified in the WA Environmental Offsets Register for native vegetation clearing permits. The project is constrained to localities where clearing has been authorised and properties where those values can be re-established.
• The NVRS program has a budget of $15 million over three years to establish native vegetation, with no constraints. To complement the broad outcomes identified in State Recovery Plan implementation, funds from the program will be designed and delivered with a focus on young people, women, Aboriginal people, unemployed people, and the regions of the State that have been most impacted by COVID-19.

DWER is inviting organisations to nominate sites and basic works proposals for revegetation and rehabilitation projects within the OFFR project boundaries.

The Offset Project Scopes Document containing broad scopes for the OFFR program requirements, set out as seven broad projects, outlines the criteria and the types and extents of the environmental values required to be achieved for offsets, as well as the geographic locations within which the broad projects are located (i.e. the OFFR project boundaries).

Specifically, the Department is seeking individual projects that can be implemented within short turnaround of receiving funding during this current financial year (2020-21), and which meet or contribute to the offsets requirements of the OFFR Program. Respondees will also need to demonstrate that their project is:

• enduring, by way of security (e.g. covenant) and in alignment with a three-star or better standard as outlined in the International Standards for the practice of ecological restoration
• additional to the normal responsibilities for management of the site
• relevant and proportionate to the environmental values required to be offset.

Examples of suitable projects might include those that seek to establish native vegetation within the OFFR target areas commencing in 2020-21, or additional funding to extend or enhance existing revegetation and rehabilitation projects that will also contribute to offsets requirements.

Projects outside of the OFFR program boundaries may be considered for NVRS funding, however please be aware that these will be classed as lower priority at this time.

If you would like to be involved, please could you provide a response outlining your project proposal by 28 February 2021. In preparing your response, please could you ensure that you provide all of the information requested in Appendix 3 of the attached document.

Following a review of your proposal, DWER will contact you for further details should it be deemed suitable.

Please contact Senior Project Officer Ms Emma Bramwell by email to covidrecoveryproject@dwer.wa.gov.au or on telephone 6364 7221 if you would like further information about these opportunities.