The importance of conservation on privately held land

The BCT’s programs represent a ground-breaking approach to enable substantial and meaningful action to conserve biodiversity on private land in NSW. 

There is growing international recognition of the critical role that private land plays in the long-term protection of biodiversity. Conservation on private land allows a holistic ‘landscape-scale’ approach to the protection of biodiversity; increasing our ecosystems’ resilience to the effects of climate change by connecting protected areas and providing pathways for the movement of species.

In New South Wales currently around three percent of land is privately conserved, yet over 70% of land in New South Wales is privately owned or leased and holds some of the most important and irreplaceable habitats and ecosystems in the world. So, to be serious about conservation in this state, we’ve had to get very serious about conservation on private land.

Many ecological communities and threatened species only found on privately-owned land are now being protected under a BCT agreement. 

Find out more about our achievements and the benefits for landholders and the biodiversity here.

Vulnerable and endangered species under conservation

A wide range of vulnerable and endangered species of fauna and flora across NSW are now being protected under a range of BCT agreements, including:

The Koala, Black-necked Stork, Regent honeyeater, Squirrel Glider, Scarlet robin, Plains wanderer, Wallum Froglet, Masked Owl, Square-tailed Kite, Glossy Black-cockatoo, Spotted-tailed Quoll, Brushtailed Phascogale, Common Blossom-bat, Little bent-wing Bat and the Dwarf Heath Casuarina.

Important landscapes and ecological communities under conservation

A wide range of important landscapes and ecological communities are now being protected under a range of BCT agreements, including:

Moonbi – Walcha Granites, Niangala Plateau and Slopes, Dingo Spur Meta-sediments, Grey Box Woodland.