Conservation agreements
What is a conservation agreement?
A conservation agreement is an agreement between the Australian Government Environment Minister and another person for the protection and conservation of biodiversity in an area of land or sea.
A conservation agreement may provide for:
- activities that promote the protection and conservation of the following:
- biodiversity
- the world heritage values of declared World Heritage properties
- the National Heritage values of National Heritage places
- the Commonwealth Heritage values of Commonwealth Heritage places
- the ecological character of a declared Ramsar wetland
- the environment, in respect of the impact of a nuclear action
- the environment in a Commonwealth marine area
- the environment on Commonwealth land
- financial, technical or other assistance from the Commonwealth
- monitoring compliance with the agreement
A conservation agreement can, amongst other things and in addition to those matters listed above, require the owner of a place to:
- carry out activities that promote the protection and conservation of biodiversity
- refrain from, or control, activities that may adversely affect the species, ecological community, or habitat, covered by the agreement
- permit access to the place by specified persons
- contribute towards the costs incurred under the agreement
- spend any money paid to them under the agreement in a specified manner
- forfeit any money paid to them under the agreement if they contravene the agreement
A conservation agreement may include a declaration that actions do not need approval under Part 9 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
If the Minister considers that an action taken by a person contravened or may have contravened a provision of Part 3 of the EPBC Act, a conservation agreement may deal with remediation or mitigation measures.
Conservation agreements are legally binding on the Commonwealth, all other parties to the agreement; and any parties that gain an interest in any part of the area after the agreement is entered into.
A notice will be published on this web site if the Minister enters, varies, or terminates a conservation agreement.
The Australian Government Environment Minister will maintain an up-to-date list of conservation agreements that are in force.
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 - Chapter 5, Part 14 - Conservation agreements
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 - Part 7, Division 7.6 - Conservation agreements
List of conservation agreements under the EPBC Act
| Agreement with | For | State or Territory | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protection, Restoration and Rehabilitation of Habitat for Migratory Shorebirds in the Burnett River Estuary and Associated Areas. |
Queensland | ||
| Growling Grass Frog conservation management plan for proposed Donnybrook-Hume Highway interchange, Kalkallo, Victoria by Biosis research | Victoria | ||
| Listed threatened species under the EPBC Act in relation to Portion 98a. | Norfolk Island | ||
| Listed threatened species under the EPBC Act in relation to Portion 108b. | Norfolk Island | ||
| Listed threatened species or ecological communities under the EPBC Act at 835 Elliots Road, Myrtle Creek, Bungawlbyn. | NSW | ||
| Rehabilitation and management of the Area at the Mount Buller Ski Resort. | Victoria | ||
| Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Property in relation to the Reef Cove Resort, East Trinity. | Queensland | ||
| Protection and conservation of the Pimelea spinscens subsp. spinecens | Victoria | ||
| Research and monitoring of the Western Ringtail Possum in urban development areas of Bussellton and Bunbury. | Western Australia | ||
| National Heritage Values of the Dampier Archipelago (including Burrup Peninsula) National Heritage Place | Western Australia | ||
| National Heritage Values of the Dampier Archipelago (including Burrup Peninsula) National Heritage Place | Western Australia | ||
| Listed threatened species under the EPBC Act in relation to the conservation management plan for grassland and wetland reserves at Lavaton. | Victoria | ||
| * Parts of these conservation agreements have not been disclosed for commercial-in-confidence reasons or because they contain culturally sensitive images. | |||
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