With such a large amount of the New South Wales' landscape owned or managed privately, the majority of the state's threatened species and habitats are found on private land. As a consequence, conservation on private properties is vitally important to maintain the biodiversity of New South Wales and protect its populations of rare and endangered animals and plant communities.
The Nature Conservation Trust actively promotes long term protection of these species by registering Conservation Agreements (also called Trust Agreements) on the titles of properties with high conservation values.
The Nature Conservation Trust has been protecting private land since 2005.
A Conservation Agreement is a legally binding agreement between a landowner and the Nature Conservation Trust to protect the environmental integrity and biodiversity of a property. The Conservation Agreement is registered on the property title which ensures the land is protected forever. The Nature Conservation Trust is able to enter into these agreements under the Nature Conservation Trust Act 2001 (NSW).
The Nature Conservation Trust runs targeted Conservation Agreement Programs in areas of New South Wales which have high conservation values. Applications can be made by landholders to these programs, however there are usually a limited number of Conservation Agreements available under these programs so success is not guaranteed. Successful applications will result in a Conservation Agreement registered on the property at no cost to the landholder.
After an agreement has been registered, the Nature Conservation Trust provides on-going support, guidance and management advice to the landholder through our Monitoring and Support Program. We see this as an integral component of our partnership with the landholder to manage the conservation values of the property into the future.
For a general guide to understanding our Conservation Agreements, click here to download a list a of frequently asked questions.
For more information on Conservation Agreement Programs currently being held in your region click here or contact:
NORTHERN NSW
Kate Smillie, Regional Manager, on (02) 6626 0333
CENTRAL NSW
Dave Crooks, Regional Manager, on (02) 6365 7543
SOUTHERN NSW
Nicky Bruce, Regional Manager, on (02) 6051 9794
