The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust's new Cultural Biodiversity Conservation (CBC) pilot offer has started assessing the proposed conservation areas on land owned and managed by Aboriginal organisations.
Aboriginal engagement staff, ecologists and field staff are meeting with eligible landholders to learn about their proposed conservation areas and discuss land management actions and activities to protect and restore plants, animals, habitats, and cultural values on their land.
Project officer Josie Banens said 27 expressions of interest had been received from 16 different Aboriginal landholding organisations.
“It’s great to have so much interest in this new pilot to fund cultural land management and protection,” Josie said.
“It is specifically designed for eligible Aboriginal landholding organisations to receive annual payments so they can protect and manage important sites on their land for conservation.
“The offer focuses on enhancing the protection and management of cultural sites and values, and the least protected ecosystems within priority biodiversity investment areas within the pilot boundary.
“It will also work towards connecting fragmented landscapes, building resilience to climate change and supporting active restoration and healing of country,” Josie said.
After the site assessments are complete, funding will be announced for land management actions deemed to protect cultural values, such as cultural burning and planting. Funding is also available for long-term planning and burn training, fencing, water point management and erosion control.
The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust recognises the important role of Aboriginal people in protecting and managing biodiversity and acknowledges the importance of traditional ecological knowledge and cultural land management techniques.
For more information about the Cultural Biodiversity Conservation pilot offer visit - www.bct.nsw.gov.au/cultural-biodiversity.