Biodiversity Stewardship Agreements (BSA)
In NSW the government has introduced the Biodiversity Offset Scheme (BOS) which includes a robust process to protect important private land with high biodiversity value in perpetuity under an irrevocable bind known as a Biodiversity Stewardship Agreement (BSA). Once land is protected under a BSA, the landowner progressively improves upon the biodiversity value, vegetation condition and habitat potential in accordance with a Management Plan financed through sales of Offset Credits that are provided by the State Government in recognition of the contribution to biodiversity protection. The management costs are released yearly in accordance with annual payments detailed in a costing sheet known as the Total Fund Deposit. This ensures rigorous, objective based management to protect and improve your land.
The BOS introduces an alternative revenue stream for suitable biodiverse land through the sale of Offset Credits. Purchasers of these credits include architects, developers, planners and government organisations who are required to offset any unavoidable impacts they may be having on our environment. Philanthropic organisations and companies aiming high with ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) targets to exemplify how their services contribute to sustainability, are also potential credit purchasers.
The BSA process requires an Accredited Assessor to apply the Biodiversity Assessment Method (BAM) to quantify the biodiversity values present on your land. This involves vegetation plots and can also include targeted flora and fauna survey. The results are presented within a Biodiversity Stewardship Site Assessment Report (BSSAR), along with a Management Plan and costings presented in the Total Fund Deposit.
Lodge Environmental has established over 6,000 ha of land subject to approved BSAs and Conservation Agreements.
Get in touch today if you are interested in protecting biodiversity on your land, coupled with a diversified income stream.
Biodiversity Stewardship Agreements (BSAs) Explained – Webinar
The team at Lodge Environmental are highly experienced in delivering fast, efficient, and viable BSAs. The webinar below provides great coverage of the BSA process, including how we maximise candidate species credits, and the importance of a feasibility assessment upfront.
If you’re looking for expert support with a Biodiversity Stewardship Agreement (BSA) in NSW, Lodge Environmental delivers end-to-end advice to help landholders and developers navigate the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW) and unlock the full value of the NSW Biodiversity Offset Scheme (BOS). Our accredited ecologists specialise in BSA feasibility assessments, site selection, biodiversity credit generation, Biodiversity Stewardship Site Assessment Reports, Management Plans, Total Fund Deposits (TFDs) and ongoing land management planning, ensuring your project is compliant, commercially viable, and strategically positioned for the biodiversity credit market. Whether you’re establishing a BSA to generate biodiversity credits, offset development impacts, or secure long-term conservation outcomes, Lodge provides clear, commercially focused guidance backed by deep technical expertise across NSW. We streamline the process from initial assessment through to credit sale, helping you maximise returns while meeting all regulatory requirements with confidence. We pride ourselves on working well with State government, to deliver high quality BSAs in market leading timing.
