Information for new landholders wanting to offer credits to the BCT

If you are a landholder interested in establishing a biodiversity stewardship agreement (BSA) then the biodiversity credit open fixed price offer (Open FPO) and credit tenders may assist you. Through the Open FPO and tenders, the BCT can commit to buying your credits before you proceed with the costs of establishing the BSA. The credits are then purchased once the BSA site is established.

Participation in the Open FPO requires a feasibility assessment prepared by an accredited assessor. A feasibility assessment is a relatively low cost, initial assessment about whether a BSA is feasible on your land.

Business case and BBSAR requirements for proposed credits

To participate in a credit tender you will require one of these supporting documents:

  • Either a Business case, or
  • a draft Biodiversity Stewardship Site Assessment Report (BSSAR), or
  • a finalised BSSAR submitted to the Department of Climate Change Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW) with a BSA application. 

The business case (or BSSAR) is required for proposed credits from landholders either proposing to establish a new BSA or to vary an existing BSA.

The document assists the landholder in making an informed decision on proceeding with a BSA and the price at which credits can be sold. It’s also reviewed by the BCT to ensure that it’s not committing to purchase credits that are unlikely to be delivered.

The business case (or BSSAR) must be prepared by an accredited assessor and must include the following information to be eligible:

  • Name of assessor and accreditation number.
  • Map of PCTs on the proposed BSA site that has been ground-truthed through an on-site assessment.
  • Preliminary map of vegetation zones (note that a map of management zones is not required).
  • Estimate of the number of ecosystem credits expected to be created in each vegetation zone (or management zone where relevant) based on BAM plot data collected from the site. Credit information must include the IBRA subregion, PCT ID, Offset Trading Group and Hollow-Bearing Tree status.
  • For applications for species credits, details of the survey method undertaken, level of effort, evidence of confirmed presence of the species on the site and an estimate of the number of credits expected to be created.
  • Total Fund Deposit (TFD) estimate for the site.

The BCT will only accept the bid as eligible if sufficient evidence is provided to support the above requirements. The BCT may at its discretion, seek additional information or clarification on any bid during the assessment process, however it is not required to do so.

Find out if the BCT wants the credits you plan to create

Before obtaining a feasibility assessment you can get a broad indication of whether the BCT has an interest in the credits that could be created on your land by referring to the Wanted Credits List. The Wanted Credits List can be searched with two key pieces of information:

  1. Subregion where the property is located. The Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia (IBRA) subregion can be identified from the linked IBRA subregion map. To use the map, zoom in using the scroll wheel on your mouse and click on your property. Your property will then be flagged, and an information box will open. In the example below, the flagged property is in Oberon subregion, which is in South Eastern Highlands IBRA region.

    IBRA subregion map example
  2. Plant community types (PCTs). The PCTs likely to occur on your property can be indicated at a broad scale through regional vegetation maps. You can view regional vegetation mapping for your property through the Trees Near Me NSW app.  An initial enquiry to an accredited assessor could assist with this information. The regional maps are only a guide and a feasibility assessment will be required to verify the PCTs.

The above information will allow you to start searching the Wanted Credits List. The list is updated each time an open fixed price offer or credit tender is released.

If the Wanted Credits List identifies wanted credits that are possible for your property, then you may decide to discuss this further with an accredited assessor. A list of assessors is available here.