Private Land Conservation Matters 2023 – 2024
The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) has partnered with Landcare NSW to highlight the importance of private land conservation. Building on the success of its initial phase, the Private Land Conservation Matters (PLCM) program has been refunded for a second stage in the Riverina.
PLCM aims to encourage more landholders to adopt best-practice conservation management on their properties. Delivered locally by Murrumbidgee Landcare as part of a statewide education initiative, the program connects communities across NSW to promote and enhance vital conservation efforts.
In New South Wales, where over 70% of the land is privately owned, conservation on private properties is critical to safeguarding the state’s biodiversity. Programs like PLCM play a key role in protecting ecosystems, supporting sustainable land management, and ensuring a healthy future for our environment.
Key Activities:
- Workshops & Resources: Practical workshops and tailored educational materials delivered across the Riverina region by Murrumbidgee Landcare Inc. (MLi) in collaboration with local Landcare groups and stakeholders.
- Community Engagement: Open events for BCT Agreement holders and other conservation-minded landholders to build skills, knowledge, and peer networks.
- Collaboration & Networking: Opportunities for landholders, BCT staff, and Landcare groups to connect, share expertise, and strengthen conservation efforts.
- Education & Training: Expert-led sessions on best practices in biodiversity management.
This project is a collaboration between the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) and Landcare NSW, with on-ground activities delivered by MLi and other local partners.
April 2024
Malleefowl Field Day – Rankin Springs
35 people attended this field day to discover the fascinating world of the Malleefowl in the Riverina.
Community Spotlighting Night – Crowther
25 people attended a guided spotlight walk to search for nocturnal animals and learn about the Squirrel Glider’s habitat and habit.
Box Gum Woodland Protection Field Day – Wombat
20 people attended a nature walk to learn about the critically endangered Box Gum Grassy Woodlands and how to protect these areas on their own property.
June 2024
Western Riverina Seed Workshop # 1 – Tabbita
10 people attended to learn about the value of native and remnant vegetation, identify and assess seed sources, and detail objectives and comprehensive options in site management, restoration, regeneration and revegetation.
August 2024
Tarcutta Hills Fire Management & Weed Identification Workshop – Tarcutta Hills
12 people attended to delve into environmental fire management, discover the beauty of walking On Country and master the are of weed identification.
September 2024
Birds & Blooms – Temora
19 people joined for a Nature Walk through Ingalba Reserve
Western Riverina Seed Workshop # 2 – Tabbita
30 people attended for discussions on native seed knowledge and skills, availability, production and projected harvest, seedbanking licencing and record keeping, storage networks, soil moisture status and seed dispersal methods and management.
October 2024
Platypus Education Workshop – Tumut
39 people attended to hear about the elusive platypus, the ecosystem it lives in and how they can help to protect it.
Biodiversity Bush Bonanza – Lockhart
17 people attended to learn about the benefits of incorporating natural assets into your farming system now and into the future.
November 2024
Paddock to Plate Experience – Batlow
21 people attended to explore diversified farm income streams while enjoying a taste sensation of Cool Climate Bush foods with paddock to plate demonstrations.
Western Riverina Seed Workshop # 3 – Tabbita
32 people attended to seed collection including ripeness for harvest, different techniques for collection, processing and storage, seed data and tracking, and the what, when, where and how native seed is best used.
Cultural Connections in Conservation – Narrandera
13 people attended to explore the connection between Cultural heritage and the importance of biodiversity conservation.
Nature’s Balance Sheet – Understanding Natural Capital Assets – Hay
29 people attended to discover the value of the natural assets on their farm and boost their knowledge and confidence in navigating environmental market opportunities.
Coming in 2025…..
- Seed Collection in the Snowy Valleys
- Serpananite Belt Walk & Talk
- Cultural Burn Workshops – Tumut & Wagga
Landcare NSW and the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust are working together to raise awareness and support private land conservation efforts across the state.
Private Land Conservation Matters 2020 – 2022
Landcare NSW and the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) have established an agreement to work together to raise awareness and support private land conservation efforts across the state. The BCT recognises that local Landcare groups have been mobilising communities and taking action on a range of issues for decades now, biodiversity conservation being one of them. Which is why the BCT and Landcare will now work together to strengthen our efforts.
There will be three components of this project:
1. Building understanding and capacity
This phase will involve staff and volunteers from Murrumbidgee Landcare, Holbrook Landcare and the Riverina-Murray branch of the BCT. Through a series of workshops (being held online, due to Covid restrictions), the three organisations will plan how best to work together, so that we can utilise and complement each other’s knowledge and skills.
This phase will be completed in the form of a series of online workshops, to be held during October and November 2020.
2. Building biodiversity conservation knowledge
This phase will involve communication and education initiatives with local landholders. Through grant funding, eligible Landcare and other groups will be able to apply to deliver agreed events, targeting the key aspects determined in phase one. Activities may include:
- Events, workshops and field days to raise awareness of, and support landholders in biodiversity conservation, and
- Activities to champion and support existing Private Land Conservation agreement holders.
This phase will commence in late 2020 and continue through until mid-2022.
3. Increasing the participation of landholders in private land conservation programs.
Through increased understanding and collaboration, Landcare will provide information on BCT and other land conservation programs to interested landholders.
About the Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT)
The BCT is a statutory not-for-profit body established under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. The organisation began operating in 2017.
The role of the BCT is to promote and support private landholders in conserving and managing biodiversity on their land. This is done through agreements, funding and grants:
- Conservation Management Program – If you own a property in a high priority area, you can apply for a funded conservation agreement by participating in the fixed price offer or a conservation tenders You may identify an area on your land to be actively managed for conservation, and receive annual conservation management payments for agreed management activities
- Conservation Partners Program – The BCT also offers voluntary agreements. Under these agreements, you may identify an area on your land to be conserved for biodiversity conservation and apply for grants to undertake conservation management activities.
- Biodiversity Offsets Program – If you wish to generate and sell biodiversity credits, you can enter into a Biodiversity Stewardship Agreement with the BCT. Under this program, you will receive annual payments for carrying out conservation management actions on the site. You may sell your biodiversity credits to developers, the BCT (which secures offsets on behalf of developers who choose to pay into the Biodiversity Conservation Fund) or to any other third party.
More information on each of these programs is available on the BCT website. You can also click here to watch a short video on the importance of the BCT’s work.
