An environmental offset is an area of land that is protected and managed for conservation purposes to counterbalance the unavoidable impacts that a development project has on the environment. To ensure environmental offsets deliver long-term benefits to the environment, they must be protected on property title and be actively managed. Management may include revegetation, weed control, fencing, and fire management.

Becoming an Offset Provider

Offsets can be secured on either part or all of your property. Offset projects can be a great way to realise value from parts of your property that don't otherwise generate much income.
Your land may be eligible if it contains certain biodiversity and vegetation values. Areas of remnant or advanced regrowth vegetation may be suitable as an environmental offset if it contains:

  • threatened ecosystems or vegetation types
  • habitat for threatened plants or animals
  • movement corridors for native animals, or
  • wetlands.

The size of an offset area will vary depending on what the project developer needs to offset. However, it typically ranges from a minimum of two hectares and up to as much as several thousand hectares.

Benefits of Becoming an Offset Provider

By becoming an offset provider, the benefits to you as a landholder can include:

  • payments for providing an offset on your land
  • income for otherwise unproductive land
  • protection of habitat for threatened species
  • contributing to an increase in protected areas.
The Process

If you register your interest in becoming an offset provider with us, the process usually starts with a desktop assessment of the environmental values on your property. If there is a match between your property and the offset needs of a developer we'll contact you to see if you are still interested in providing an offset and to arrange a visit to come out and meet you. During this visit we'll conduct a preliminary assessment of your property. This visit may be followed by a more detailed assessment of your property, which may include ecological surveys.

Once the property assessments are completed, and both parties are still interested, an agreement would then be negotiated between yourself and the developer. This agreement would include details of the financial payment/s to be made for providing the offset and how the offset area would be secured and managed to ensure its long-term protection.

This process can take some time and typically involves regular discussion between yourself and the developer, consultation with lawyers, and an independent land valuation.

Securing the Offset

The offset area will be required to be registered on your property title. This can be achieved through a variety of mechanisms that ensure long-term conservation outcomes. As part of the offset agreement, a management plan will need to be implemented. The management plan outlines the activities required to manage the offset.

How can we help?

Registering your interest with us as an offset provider is free of charge. We are able to evaluate the suitability of your land as an environmental offset and put you in touch with the infrastructure developers that are willing to pay for offsets. Key services include:

  • undertaking a desktop assessment of the environmental values on your property
  • listing your property on our register of potential offsets
  • facilitating negotiations between yourself and the developer to establish an offset agreement
  • preparing an offset management plan and legally securing the offset on your property.

If you think you might have native vegetation on your property that is suitable as an offset you should get in touch with CO2 Australia for a no obligation discussion about your options. We are experts in this space and have transacted scores of offset agreements while protecting over 100,000 ha of native habitat.

CO2 Australia also runs regional workshops and information sessions on offsets around Australia. If we don't have one planned in your area we are happy to talk to you about organising one and we welcome partnering with farming and other community groups to host workshops tailored to your local region and needs.

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