Environment and Sustainability Committee — 2026-10-15

2. Environment and Sustainability Department - Quarterly Capital Delivery Portfolio Update - Q1: July to Sept 2026

Environment and Sustainability Committee

Meeting Agenda

15 October

2026

Doc ID No: A13434548

ITEM: 2

SUBJECT: Environment and Sustainability Department - Quarterly Capital Delivery Portfolio Update - Q1: July to SeptEMBER 2026

AUTHOR: Disaster and Natural Hazards Manager

DATE: 2 October 2026

Executive Summary

This is a report concerning the Environment and Sustainability Department (ES) capital delivery portfolio for Quarter One (Q1) (July 2026 to September 2026) for the 2026-2027 financial year.

Recommendation/s

That the report concerning the Environment and Sustainability Quarterly Capital Delivery Update be received and the contents noted.

RELATED PARTIES

There was no declaration of conflicts of interest.

CORPORATE PLAN Theme

Natural and Sustainable

Purpose of Report/Background

The 2026 Community Views Report identified the natural environment as the second-highest community priority for the City of Ipswich. This strong community sentiment is reflected in Council's Corporate Plan and supported through investment in the 2026-2027 Environment and Sustainability Capital Delivery Program which has been allocated $19,560,000.

Delivered by the Environment and Sustainability Department, the program includes capital projects and initiatives across asset rehabilitation, land management, water quality, disaster and natural hazard management, climate resilience, renewable energy, resource recovery, environmental management, waterways, and the delivery of outcomes funded through Enviroplan and Ti Tree Bioenergy funds.

Through this program, the department delivers integrated environmental, sustainability, waste, and resilience services that enhance community wellbeing and quality of life. These investments contribute to a cleaner, greener, and more climate-resilient city by protecting and enhancing Ipswich's natural assets, strengthening environmental outcomes, and improving liveability for current and future generations.

At the time of authoring this report September 2026 financial performance data was unavailable, all financial report information presented is for the period 1 July to 30 August 2026. Actual expenditure for this period is $1,913,816 (9.78%) of allocated budget, leaving a remaining budget of $17,646,184. The first quarter has seen a positive start to the 2026-2027 year with positive results across the ES portfolio.

The graph below outlines the current actual and forecast tracking against the baseline budget values.

The table outlines by program current year-to-date budget against year-to-date actuals for financial performance. Variances detected in the Environment program are largely attributed to progress against the improvements and rehabilitation to the Ipswich Nature Centre.

The phases of capital asset development and delivery is tracked using standardised phases; the below graph outlines the current phases within the ES capital; delivery portfolio.

Summary of Projects by Phase and State

A summary of projects by status and state is available at Attachment 2.

Legal IMPLICATIONS

This report and its recommendations are consistent with the following legislative provisions:

Local Government Act 2009

policy implications

This report is consistent with the 2026-2027 Annual Plan, budget and 2026-2029 Capital Works Program adopted by Council resolution.

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

There are no risk management implications resulting from the preparation and provision of this report.

Financial/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

There are no discernible financial or resource implications related to preparation and provision this report.

COMMUNITY and OTHER CONSULTATION

There is no community consultation related to the preparation and provision of this report.

Conclusion

HUMAN RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS

HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACTS

RECEIVE AND NOTE REPORT

“Recommendation A ” states that the report be received and the contents noted. The decision to receive and note the report does not limit human rights. Therefore, the decision is compatible with human rights.

Attachments

1.

ES Capital Delivery Snapshot Q1 ⇩

2.

Porfolio Project Status by Phase and State ⇩

Matthew Pinder

Disaster and Natural Hazards Manager

I concur with the recommendations contained in this report.

Kaye Cavanagh

General Manager (Environment and Sustainability)

“Together, we proudly enhance the quality of life for our community”

Environment and Sustainability Committee

Meeting AGENDA

15 October

2026

Item 2 / Attachment 1.

Environment and Sustainability Committee

Meeting AGENDA

15 October

2026

Item 2 / Attachment 2.

Mentions: Ipswich

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3. Landholder Conservation Partnerships Program - Achievements and highlights

Environment and Sustainability Committee

Meeting Agenda

15 October

2026

Doc ID No: A13076586

ITEM: 3

SUBJECT: Landholder Conservation Partnerships Program - Achievements and highlights

AUTHOR: Senior Conservation Partnerships Officer

DATE: 1 July 2026

Executive Summary

This is a report concerning council’s Landholder Conservation Partnerships Program, funded by Enviroplan Levy and the range of support offered to members. In particular, the report aims to highlight its achievements by landholders, the Program’s strategic direction, statistics, and areas for improvement.

Recommendation/s

That the report be received and the contents noted.

RELATED PARTIES

There was no declaration of conflicts of interest

ifuture Theme

Natural and Sustainable

Purpose of Report/Background

Conservation partnerships on private land are a fundamental and valuable tool in achieving Ipswich City Council’s (council) corporate objectives, specifically in regard to caring for the environment. Without such partnering arrangements in place, council is limited to actions on public land and unable to provide coordinated conservation efforts. The landholder community is a central component to the success of biodiversity conservation in Ipswich. There is a strong social value in achieving conservation stewardship and a connected network of passionate community members. The Landholder Conservation Partnerships Program (LCPP) aims to encourage and assist Ipswich’s landholders to manage, enhance and protect ecosystems in order to conserve flora and fauna on their properties. The LCPP is funded by Ipswich City Council’s Enviroplan Levy. Landholders have partnership options that can be either statutory or non-statutory to suit their individual needs. The LCPP provides ongoing support for private landholders who can demonstrate a commitment to either restoring fragmented landscapes or protecting and maintaining intact areas of vegetation located in priority areas in Ipswich.

Program Objectives

· Foster stewardship and environmental advocacy.

· Facilitate on ground conservation outcomes and provide a reliable platform for conservation on private land.

· Support and up-skill private landholders through education, provision of resources and knowledge sharing.

· Actively engage with landholders in strategic priority areas as defined by the Nature Conservation Strategy and the Waterway Health Strategy.

· Engage with internal and external stakeholders to achieve broad environmental outcomes. Nature Conservation Grants

· Land Management Payments (restricted to the old model)

· a variety of resources to help support, encourage and educate landholders

· free plants

· workshops and events

· technical support and advice

Nature Conservation Grants and Voluntary Conservation Covenant Bursary

This program aims to support tangible conservation outcomes on private land. Eligible landholders can apply for grant funding to undertake on-ground activities to rehabilitate degraded landscapes, protect and improve habitat and biodiversity, and improve the climate resilience of Ipswich’s natural environment.

Land Management Payments

These payments are a historic annual incentive for Agreements in the old Program model, part of this budget now aims to support, Voluntary Conservation Covenants and any conservation outcomes that achieve the overall program objectives and actions defined in the associated Property Management Plan.

Property Management Plan

Property Management Plans (PMPs) are developed for every property registered in the program, except Habitat Gardens properties. PMPs are a tool aimed at supporting sustainable land management which considers the personal goals of landholders, environmental issues and economic considerations. PMPs are mandatory for Voluntary Conservation Agreement, Voluntary Conservation Covenant and Land for Wildlife partners and have a five (5) year term. Grants, free plant applications and other distributed funding are directly linked to projects documented in PMPs.

Free Plant Program

The Free Plant Program is supported by council’s Nursery. Registered members are eligible for free plants as per their PMP and other Agreement eligibility criteria. The free plant program is aimed at supporting on ground rural restoration projects and urban biodiversity values. Other supported projects through the council Nursery include the Seed Collection Program (Attachment B). The Seed Collection Program aims at diversifying the species offered through the Free Plant Program. Both collection and propagation so far has been successful, with the high germination rate attributed to using “fresh” seeds collected locally. This ensures that propagated seedlings are adapted to local and regional climatic conditions and are likely to have a higher survival rate in revegetation projects. These species are then distributed to registered members.

Annual Reporting

Annual reporting is required for landholders who receive council incentives. Council incentives include; Nature Conservation Grants, Land Management Payments and various resources distributed to landholders for support, encouragement and education. Habitat Gardens partners are required to submit a report at the end of their five (5) year agreement term. Information provided in annual reports are used to measure the success of distributed funding, incentives and the overall program.

Refer to Attachment A for an in-depth account of resources and support provided to registered landholders.

Program Growth and Update

· 1,575 Habitat Gardens members

New approach to educate registered landholders

A common land management challenge is invasive weeds, from vines to dense weedy grasses, to large weed trees. Each requires a different approach and sometimes multiple methods used in conjunction.

Registered members are empowered to gain technical knowledge and experience in tackling weed infestations on their own properties with the guidance of experts. Under the new incentive, experienced council officers demonstrate weed management techniques while on the property.

By having landholders and program officers working side-by-side, landholders can learn industry best practice and instruction on using various tools. They are also provided with a weed management strategy tailored to their property circumstances and personal capabilities. Program Statistics 2025-2026

· $102,201 was provided in Nature Conservation Grants

· $22,258 was provided in land management payments

· 7 new registrations in financial year 2025–2026

· 8 Workshops and events – Topics included garden escapee weeds, how to plan a burn, pest management, and reptiles – 161 attendees

· Habitat Gardens properties were featured in the Sustainable Open Garden Trail – 330 attendees

· Free plants distributed

o 5,326 for Voluntary Conservation Agreements

o 13,732 for Habitat Gardens.

Renewed regional partnerships

· $16,354 Land for Wildlife Southeast Queensland

· $9,489 for SEQ Fire and Biodiversity Consortium

Return on Investment (Nature Conservation Grant)

In the 2025-2026 financial year, 21 of the 24 successful applicants completed weed management or planting projects totalling $95,759.17. The total area managed during this financial year estimated to 21.96 hectares and installation of 6067 tubestock plants.

Using these figures, a Return on Investment (ROI) was calculated to evaluate the efficiency and return of investing into private land for conservation works.

Contractor quotes and schedule of rates from council’s Conservation Team were used as a baseline to compare the cost effectiveness. A moderate estimate of cost of completing a project of similar scale using council contractors indicate that it may have amounted to $591,571.50 , suggesting an ROI of nearly 1:6 .

Whilst this is a broad range and is subject to many factors, it does provide some evidence that investing into private properties for conservation works is highly effective, and the benefits of in-kind contribution by landholders far excee

Mentions: Sustainable Open Garden Trail · Ipswich

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