Establishing a Biodiversity Stewardship Site
to sell biodiversity credits

Landowners can establish a Biodiversity Stewardship Site on their land to create and sell biodiversity credits under the NSW Biodiversity Offset Scheme (BOS) and protect areas with natural biodiversity value.

For landholders in NSW, biodiversity offsetting is an innovative way to generate an additional income from the land, while providing positive outcomes for the environment.

Niche works with landowners and managers to guide them through the process of establishing a Biodiversity Stewardship Site. We provide an end-to-end service including:

  • Conducting Biodiversity Stewardship Site feasibility assessments
  • Preparation of the Biodiversity Stewardship Agreements
  • Preparation of Biodiversity Stewardship Site Assessment Reports
    and associated site management and costing plans
  • Brokerage of biodiversity credits

By establishing a Biodiversity Stewardship Site over some or all of your property, you can:

  • Conserve the site’s biodiversity values into the future
  • Retain your land in private management and ownership
  • Generate revenue from the proceeds of selling your credits
  • Earn an income for managing the land for conservation, in perpetuity
  • Use the Biodiversity Stewardship Site for other compatible purposes such as ecotourism activities or cultural uses.

  • The NSW Biodiversity Offset Scheme (BOS) was established under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act).

    Under the BOS, developers who clear native vegetation or impact biodiversity, must provide or purchase biodiversity offsets to compensate for the loss of biodiversity values from their development site. The biodiversity offsets required are calculated in terms of “credits”. The result of this legislation is that there is a market for biodiversity “credits” under the scheme.

    These credits are created by establishing a Biodiversity Stewardship Site on private land, through a Biodiversity Stewardship Agreement between the landowner and the NSW Minister for the Environment, which is administered by the Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT).

    The agreement is attached to the land title and includes provisions that require current and future landowners to carry out management actions to improve biodiversity values on the land and not undertake activities that would reduce the biodiversity values of the land, including farm activities such as grazing.

    Further information about the BOS can be found here

  • Niche has more experience in biodiversity offsetting assessment and site establishment than any other consultancy in NSW.

    We have a dedicated Natural Capital and Offsets team and a large team of ecologists including botanists, fauna ecologists and BOS Accredited Assessors. We have trusted working relationships with the regulators maximising efficient BSA approval.

    Over the past decade, our team has:

    • Assessed more than 330 potential Biobank/Biodiversity Stewardship Sites
    • Established over 4,300 ha of Biobank sites
    • Established (completed or in process) almost 33,000 ha of Biodiversity Stewardship Sites
    • Evaluated over 320,000 ha of land through preliminary Biodiversity Stewardship assessments
    • Established over 40 offset sites, including the first Biodiversity Stewardship Site under the BOS.

  • Niche also has considerable experience brokering the purchase and sales of biodiversity offset credits. Over the past 5 years, we have transacted over 36,000 of our client’s credits, valued at over $71m.

    We have developed our own unique Biodiversity Offset Exchange (BOE) database. Based on the offset trading rules, this database allows our team to match credit demand and supply in an instant. Matching the offset credit needs of our development clients with the biodiversity offsetting resources of our landowner clients provides exceptional commercial and environmental outcomes.

    Our brokerage services include:

    • Managing and tracking all credit sales (including regular Government tenders)
    • Market reviews and advice regarding credit demand/supply and pricing
    • Targeted marketing of credits to developers
    • Assisting in negotiations with buyers
    • Assisting with consultation and communications with the Credit Supply Taskforce/Biodiversity Conservation Trust
    • Supporting landholders throughout the Biodiversity Stewardship Site establishment process.

Is your land suitable for a
Biodiversity Stewardship Site?

Niche works with landowners and managers, guiding them through the process of establishing a conservation site, generating credits and selling credits.

To help landholders take the first step in assessing the potential of their land for conservation, we have developed the LOOP, our Landholder Offsets and Origination Portal. The LOOP allows for online and efficient interrogation of the biodiversity potential of your site and provision of feasibility assessments.

To register your interest and better understand the suitability of your site, please click the button below and complete our enquiry form.

Check Your Property

Note you will need the following information:

  • Name and contact details (email and phone)
  • Street address
  • Property name, Lot and DPs.

Follow the instructions to submit your land information and a Niche staff member will be in touch as soon as possible to discuss your site with you.

Can’t get the form to work for you? Please contact us directly for assistance.

What our landholder clients say

“As farmers we feel that this is a great opportunity for us to participate in helping protect a diverse patch of threatened ecological communities and species on private land. We adore the uniqueness of the property and this will allow future generations to enjoy a diverse landscape in a world that’s leaning towards monocultures for mass food production.”

Owners of Journey’s End West Biodiversity Stewardship Site, near Hill End, NSW

Find out more

Read our Landholder Info Pack for more information about what is involved in setting up a Biodiversity Stewardship Site.

If you would like to find out if your property is suitable, submit your details into our enquiry form using the button below and our Landholder Services team will get back to you.

Landholder Info pack Check Your Property

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