Partner with us to restore and protect the Big Scrub, forever

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We are seeking suitably experienced organisations to partner with us to restore, maintain and protect endangered lowland Big Scrub rainforest on private land in the NSW Northern Rivers region.

Only 1 per cent of the pre-1788 extent of Big Scrub rainforest remains today. As an iconic ecological community, located in one of the most biodiverse regions in Australia, this provides the opportunity for powerful restoration and conservation outcomes.

We aim to develop a partnership for the long-term protection and restoration of Big Scrub rainforest. 

• The Big Scrub is located in the Byron Bay Hinterland of northern NSW, one of the most biodiverse regions in Australia.
• At around 75,000 hectares, it was originally the largest patch of lowland subtropical rainforest in Australia.
• Since around 1840, more than 99 per cent of the Big Scrub has been cleared for timber and farmland.
• 1 per cent of the original Big Scrub Rainforest remains today as remnant and regenerating rainforest patches.
• The Big Scrub is classified as Critically Endangered under the Commonwealth legislation and Endangered under the NSW legislation.
• It provides habitat for ~100 threatened species and many of its species are directly descended from ancient Gondwana rainforests.
• The Bundjalung people (first nations people) have a strong cultural connection to this landscape.

How much rainforest will be restored and protected?

We're aiming to restore, protect and maintain 100-140 hectares of lowland Subtropical Rainforest in the Big Scrub landscape, forever.

We are exploring a partnership tender model with a values-aligned restoration organisation.

We are seeking organisations that can:

• Fund and deliver between 25 and 60 hectares of best practice lowland rainforest restoration using a variety of methods in line with the Subtropical Rainforest Restoration Manual: A practical manual for Landcare groups, land managers and rainforest regenerators (Big Scrub Landcare – third edition).
• Manage, including funding the management of, the restoration sites for 5 years.

Interested parties will be required to submit an expression of interest, addressing the evaluation criteria outlined within the form.

What will we contribute?

We will seek, assess and approve private landholdings for conservation and restoration through a transparent and equitable evaluation process.

We will place in-perpetuity conservation agreements on-title that that protect the Big Scrub remnants and restoration sites forever.

We will negotiate a suitable management plan with the landholders and provide ongoing funding for the management of their conservation area.

We will utilise our rigorous scientific methodology and data sources to ensure the conservation occurs in accordance with the NSW Government's biodiversity investment priorities, contributes to the National Reserve System, and represents good value for money.

We will carry out rigorous ecological monitoring and reporting, as well as annual reviews with the landholders.

We will provide support for the landholders that ensures the agreed conservation management actions are undertaken.

Why partner with us to protect and restore the Big Scrub?

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You will have the opportunity to have a meaningful impact on the restoration and protection of an endangered rainforest in an iconic NSW landscape.

You will partner on a robust and high-integrity conservation project with scientifically rigorous monitoring and reporting on conservation investment and biodiversity gains.

Your work will contribute to a conservation project that forms part of Australia's National Reserve System and is supported by local community.

You will be able to leverage the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust's infrastructure, science-based investment strategy and ecological expertise on a conservation project where your restoration efforts are protected and managed forever.

How will partners be screened?

Your expression of interest will be subject to a due diligence and risk screening process, including submission of a due diligence declaration, to ensure suitability and values alignment.

What is the current project status and timeline?

We are now inviting expressions of interest from all parties interested in partnering with us on this project by 11:59pm Sunday, 13 July, 2025.

In developing the Big Scrub conservation tender partnership model, market sounding was undertaken with several stakeholders to help inform the partner tender's format and approach. The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust is now inviting expressions of interest from all parties interested in partnering with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust, whether or not involved in the stakeholder market sounding process.

Please note: the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust reserves the right to not proceed with the project at their discretion and will notify all Expressions of Interest accordingly.

We are not currently taking expressions of interest from landholders for the Big Scrub project. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive project updates, including the landholder expressions of interest opening should the project progress to the next stage.

Submit an expression of interest

Download the Partnership Service Level Agreement Template [595KB, .PDF]

Please note: This is a pilot project and may not proceed if at any stage we determine it unfeasible. If you have submitted an EOI and we decide not to proceed, you will be notified.