Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship

The 2021 State of the Environment report released in 2022 shows that we must do more to protect and restore Australia’s unique environment.

The Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Package aims to help address this need. We are looking at how to use environmental markets to increase private sector participation in delivering biodiversity outcomes. We are also ensuring integrity and genuine environmental benefits. This will build on, and learn from, existing programs, including the Carbon + Biodiversity (C+B) Pilot and Enhancing Remnant Vegetation (ERV) Pilot.

Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Pilots (Carbon + Biodiversity and Enhancing Remnant Vegetation)

Both the C+B (Round One) and ERV pilots are being run in 6 Natural Resource Management regions:

Burnett-Mary in Queensland
Central West in New South Wales
North Central in Victoria
NRM North in Tasmania
Eyre Peninsula in South Australia
South West in Western Australia.

The C+B Pilot (Round Two) is being run in 6 different Natural Resource Management regions:

Fitzroy Basin in Queensland
Riverina in New South Wales
Goulburn Broken in Victoria
Southern in Tasmania
Northern and Yorke in South Australia
South Coast in Western Australia.

The Australian National University (ANU) have helped to deliver elements of the pilots, including:

rules for participating

processes for assessing, reporting and monitoring delivery of environmental outcomes in biodiversity projects.

Carbon + Biodiversity Pilots

The C+B Pilot trials a way to deliver new native vegetation plantings. The projects can also deliver income for landholders through carbon credits. The plantings aim to deliver both biodiversity improvements and carbon abatement.

Through the C+B Pilot, we are testing aspects of buying and selling biodiversity services. Landholders can diversify their income by completing a project under the C+B pilot as well as gaining from the improved biodiversity on their property.

Other benefits from plantings include:

shelter for stock or other animals
protecting dams and waterways
reducing soil erosion.

Find out more about our Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot.

Enhancing Remnant Vegetation Pilot

The ERV Pilot trials a way to improve biodiversity and provide income for the landholder.

Successful landholders receive payments to protect and improve remnant native vegetation on their properties. Relevant management activities include:

installing fencing
carrying out weeding
pest control
supplementary planting.

Find out more about our Enhancing Remnant Vegetation Pilot.

Independent Review of the Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Pilots

We commissioned an independent review of the Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Pilots. The Review was undertaken from December 2022 to May 2023. The review covers the establishment phase of the pilots. The aim was to identify lessons applicable to the development and implementation of the Nature Repair Market.

The review highlights:

various barriers to entry for landholders; and
opportunities to better enable landholder participation in environmental markets.

Download

Review of the Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Pilots to inform the Nature Repair Market – Marsden Jacob Associates - (PDF 5 MB)

Review of the Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Pilots to inform the Nature Repair Market – Marsden Jacob Associates - (DOCX 5 MB)

National Stewardship Trading Platform

The National Stewardship Trading Platform is a geospatial tool for landholders to develop projects and connect with buyers under a Nature Repair Market.

Landholders can explore features of their property including:

its biodiversity condition; and
likely carbon balance.

Landholders can then use the Platform to plan potential nature repair projects.

The Platform is under further development. Tools and information will be updated to make it easier to participate in the emerging Nature Repair Market.

Access the National Stewardship Trading Platform.

Find out more about the National Stewardship Trading Platform.