More NSW landholders than ever are being paid to protect native plants and animals on their land through funded agreements with the NSW Government.
The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust has seen a steady year-on-year increase in farmers and rural property owners seeking to protect their land with a conservation agreement.
The Trust's Manager of Private Land Conservation Programs, Cath Gallery, said the most recent opportunity invited landowners with important native habitat on their land to apply for a fixed price per hectare, paid each year, and registered on the land's title.
"Each time we open the new fixed price offer rounds, we get more and more interest from landholders," Ms Gallery said.
"The last round, that closed at the end of February, resulted in almost twice the number of expressions of interest than the previous, and we expect this trend to continue."
Through their fixed price offer rounds, the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust supports landholders in high-priority areas who have important native vegetation on their land to manage these sites for conservation, in return for a fixed annual payment.
More than 76,000 hectares are protected under fixed price agreements with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust, across 45 agreements. The median annual payment per hectare is $90, paid for the life of the agreement.
The conservation areas protected by landowners feature endangered ecological communities with a wide variety of eucalypt and other native trees, shrubs and grasses, along with the animal and bird species that call them home.
Expert ecologists and landholder support staff provide ongoing guidance and advice to landholders managing conservation areas.
Ms Gallery said the specialist help takes the onus off landholders to know exactly what they have, and how to manage it.
"Landholders are telling us they want to protect their land, but they need help to get started. Our team is on the ground delivering the support landholders are asking for."
The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust is accepting expressions of interest for its ninth round of fixed price offers, open until 1 March.
To learn more, visit www.bct.nsw.gov.au/fixed-price-offers or phone 1300 992 688.