Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia, David Littleproud said the second round will open in six new pilot Natural Resource Management regions, allowing more farmers across Australia to take advantage of this opportunity and further testing the protocols in new regions.
"Round 1 saw over $4 million offered to projects for the biodiversity outcomes that could cover nearly 3,000 hectares. The projects could also deliver potentially over 400,000 Australian Carbon Credit Units which would deliver additional income to farmers on top of the biodiversity outcomes," Minister Littleproud said.
"The Carbon + Biodiversity pilot is part of the Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Package, creating a foundation for a voluntary biodiversity market.
"We're also taking the next steps on our Enhancing Remnant Vegetation pilot, which rewards farmers who take steps to improve their existing native vegetation. Over 100 applicants to this pilot have been selected for site assessments, part of the formal assessment processes.
"We're bringing the pieces together, demonstrating how this can work through pilots. We have also commenced consultation on legislation to support the development of a National Biodiversity stewardship market.
"The Australian Government's National Stewardship Trading Platform will also begin in December, making it easier for farmers to plan their projects, and to sell biodiversity and carbon outcomes by connecting them directly with buyers.
"It's all about creating new income streams for farmers who improve biodiversity on their land."
Fast Facts:
- Round 2 of the Carbon + Biodiversity pilot will be run in six new Natural Resource Management (NRM) Regions:
- Fitzroy Basin in Queensland
- Riverina in New South Wales
- Goulburn Broken in Victoria
- Southern in Tasmania
- Northern and Yorke in South Australia
- South Coast in Western Australia.
- Under the C+B Pilot, farmers who plant native trees and shrubs, in line with a biodiversity protocol developed by the Australian National University, can receive payments for biodiversity outcomes.
- These payments will be in addition to earnings a landholder might receive from selling the carbon credits associated with those trees.
