Niche Environment and Heritage (Niche) in June 2020 executed a formal Agreement to support the Australian Department of Defence as a member of the DIP.EHEE Panel (Defence Infrastructure Panel – Environment, Heritage and Estate Engineering) for an initial five year term. As one of Australia’s largest land managers, Defence is responsible for the management of a large, complex, and diverse estate that has…
National Reconciliation Week, 27 May to 3 June 2020, is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. We all have a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part…
In November last year, the NSW Government released the Spot Price Index1 for biodiversity credits created using the BioBanking Assessment Methodology under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act). Whilst this act has now been replaced by the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act) and the assessment of biodiversity offsets is now determined…
Niche has been undertaking archaeological excavations right in the heart of Brisbane CBD for the Cross River Rail project. Listen to our senior historical heritage consultant Dr Kevin Rains talking about some of the project’s fascinating finds and the incredible insights they provide into the city’s past, in this webinar he presented for National Archaeology…
National Archaeology Week aims to increase public awareness of Australian archaeology and the work of Australian Archaeologists both at home and abroad, and to promote the importance of Australia’s unique archaeological heritage. As part of this nationwide program of events, Brisbane-based heritage consultant Dr Kevin Rains will present a webinar exploring archaeology on the Cross…
The NSW EPBC Act1 Bilateral Agreement was amended on March 24, 2020 (Amending Agreement No. 1) as a result of both the NSW and Australian Governments’ commitment to: Streamlining environmental assessments and offsets for projects in NSW and Reducing the regulatory burden on proponents of projects in NSW. The amendment has been anticipated for some…
Healthy Land and Water (HLW), in partnership with Seqwater, is undertaking a regional riparian weed control program to reduce and control the impact of invasive weeds on native vegetation. HLW engaged Niche for advice on how best to protect Aboriginal and/or historical cultural heritage values within the project area. Our Brisbane-based consulting team defined cultural…
Niche is open for business. We care about our staff, our support teams and our clients, and we are committed to delivering on our promises. Our communities and our environment have faced quite a few challenges in the past months: bushfires, floods, and now a pandemic. Of course, during the current coronavirus pandemic, there are…
The recent fires across NSW have created challenges for assessors quantifying the impacts of developments on burnt bushland and valuing potential Biodiversity Stewardship Sites. Ecologist and Accredited BAM Assessor Dr Cairo Forrest summarises key points from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE)’s recently released guidelines for applying the Biodiversity Assessment Methodology (BAM) at…
As the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis rapidly evolves in Australia and around the world, Niche would like to emphasise that the wellbeing of our staff, clients and business partners is our number one priority. Since the emergence of the pandemic, we have been risk-assessing all work-related activities and encouraging our team to feel empowered to make…
At Niche, we are experienced in creating information sessions that are individually tailored to the unique natural environment, heritage and history of the areas in which our clients operate. Programs for NSW councils Information sessions can be tailored to suit council staff and contractors who need to have an awareness of your local biodiversity and…
Yogesh is an ecologist specialising in bush regeneration, revegetation and ecological rehabilitation. He has more than ten years’ experience in monitoring, management and planning for bushland restoration projects in the Sydney metropolitan area and across NSW. Yogesh joined Niche’s multidisciplinary consulting team in August 2019. He is based at our Sydney head office, with frequent…