The NSW Government is progressing its ongoing commitment to conservation and protecting important biodiversity in the Upper Hunter by offering a private land conservation tender through the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT).
The Upper Hunter Conservation Tender will help to protect native vegetation and high priority landscapes, delivering on the Government’s commitment to increase protected areas in the state and support global biodiversity targets.
The Upper Hunter Shire supports rich and diverse ecological communities including habitat for many threatened species including the critically endangered regent honeyeater and swift parrot.
It is estimated that 90 per cent of native vegetation in the tender area is on privately owned land.
The tender is the first in the recently announced four-year plan to increase investment in the conservation of important biodiversity on private land.
BCT tenders increase the conservation of native vegetation across NSW, protecting key habitat for native species where it is found on privately owned land.
BCT Conservation Agreements are registered on the land title, assuring long-term protection of habitats and species.
Currently 2.8% of NSW is protected by BCT conservation agreements with over 2000 landholders.