Sell biodiversity credits under your BSA

The BCT’s Biodiversity Offsets Program is responsible for securing biodiversity offsets when developers choose to meet their offset obligation by paying into the Biodiversity Conservation Fund.

We will secure offsets by buying biodiversity credits from landholders who have existing biodiversity stewardship agreements (BSAs) or BioBanking Agreements or by working with landholders to establish new BSAs that will generate credits the BCT can then purchase at an agreed price.

The Biodiversity Offsets Program uses four delivery mechanisms to secure biodiversity credits needed to meet developer offset obligations:

Selling your credits through a biodiversity credits tender – how does it work?

  • The BCT identifies wanted credits suitable for acquisition through a biodiversity credits tender.
  • Credit owners and, in some cases landholders able to generate the wanted credits from a new BSA, are invited to submit a tender bid to sell credits to the BCT.
  • Offered bids are competitive. Bids are evaluated on price, but other factors may be considered (strategic conservation outcomes) as set out in the landholder guide for each tender.
  • Where a reasonable supply of existing credits is available on the market, biodiversity credit tenders may be ‘targeted’ to existing credit owners only
  • Where there is high potential for further supply through new BSAs, the biodiversity credits tender will be ‘open’ and the BCT will accept bids from landholders yet to establish a BSA.
  • Successful bids will be offered an agreement to purchase credits. In the case of open biodiversity credits tenders, the BCT may provide technical and financial assistance to landholders whose successful bid requires the establishment of a new BSA.

The BCT purchases credits of successful bids and credits are removed from the Wanted Credits List.

Information about the current biodiversity credit tenders is available on our biodiversity credit tender page. Information about biodiversity credit tenders completed to date is available on our BOP outcomes page.

Selling your credits through a biodiversity credits fixed price offer – how does it work?

Biodiversity credit open fixed price offers

  • Available on a continuing basis for credits on the BCT’s Wanted Credits List.
  • Intended to be a simple approach and aimed at landholders who want a committed purchaser of credits before proceeding with the expense of establishing a BSA.
  • Existing or prospective credit owners directly approach the BCT to sell credits displayed on the BCT’s Wanted Credits List.
  • BCT offers to purchase credits at a non-negotiable fixed price.
  • Offers to sell credits are accepted on a ‘first come – first serve’ basis.
  • Once an offer is accepted, the BCT will establish a sale agreement to purchase credits.
  • Once an agreement is established, credits are removed from the Wanted Credits List.

More information about the biodiversity credit open fixed price offer is available on this page.

Biodiversity credit targeted fixed price offers

  • BCT offers to purchase credits directly from credit owners/landholders.
  • May be open to existing or prospective credit owners.
  • Once an offer is accepted, the BCT will establish a sale agreement to purchase credits. The BCT may provide technical and financial assistance to landholders to establish a new BSA.
  • Will be used in limited circumstances and specific regions to obtain highly sought-after credits.
  • Once an agreement is established, credits are removed from the Wanted Credits List.

Information about biodiversity credit targeted and open fixed price offers completed to date is available on our BOP outcomes page.

How do we secure Biodiversity Credits through our Revolving Fund?

The BCT’s fourth delivery mechanism for this program is the BCT Revolving Fund. The BCT will use the Revolving Fund in limited circumstances to secure wanted biodiversity credits.

The BCT uses its Revolving Fund to purchase properties available in the real estate market that have proven capacity to generate wanted credits. The BCT then establishes a BSA on some or all of the property, then re-sells the property in the real estate market. Purchasers must be willing to buy the property knowing it comes with the responsibilities of a BSA.

Conservation Management Actions

Under the Biodiversity Offset Scheme rules, BCT may sometimes be able to fund biodiversity conservation actions, instead of procuring biodiversity credits. BCT may identify and fund high-priority investment options or may invite tenders to supply conservation projects.

Visit the BCT Wanted Credits List page to get more information on the biodiversity credits wanted by the BCT.