Information sheets

The NSW Government's native vegetation assistance package

Offset pool

The Native Vegetation Act 2003 brought an end to broadscale land clearing across the state as part of the NSW Government’s wide-ranging reform to the management and protection of native vegetation. While the vast majority of landholders are not affected, the new native vegetation laws may impact some landholders, particularly those with large areas of undeveloped land, or who want to change the way they do business.

The Government’s $37 million Native Vegetation Assistance Package (NVAP) has been established to assist landholders who are directly disadvantaged by being unable to clear native vegetation on their property. The package is funded by the Environmental Trust and will be available to eligible landholders until 30 June 2009.

The package consists of three components:

Each component provides assistance to meet particular needs and has specific eligibility criteria. Check the relevant information sheet or contact your local Catchment Management Authority (CMA) for more information.

What is the Offset Pool?

Offsets are a significant component of the approval process for Property Vegetation Plans (PVP). Under the Native Vegetation Act, landholders may gain approval to clear remnant vegetation where they agree to actions that ‘offset’ the impacts of clearing. These actions typically involve planting or protecting native vegetation on their own property or on other land.

The Offset Pool is designed to help landholders to source a suitable offset site if they are unable to provide the offset on their own property.

CMAs keep a register of available offsets and if no suitable offsets are available it may call for expressions of interest. The CMA will then negotiate with the offset provider through the NVAP Offset Pool funding and establish a PVP that secures the management actions required to meet the ‘improve or maintain’ test.

Am I eligible for the Offset Pool?

To qualify for assistance through the CMA Offset Pool, a landholder must:

Demonstrating real financial loss

The NSW Rural Assistance Authority will undertake an assessment of real financial loss. The assessment is based on the expected financial contribution the proposed clearing would make toward the following factors:

Eligible landholders also must have contributed the majority of their labour to the farm business and generate the majority of their income from that business.

How do I apply?

If you have been unable to establish an offset on your property to gain approval to clear native vegetation and would like to apply for access to the Offset Pool, you will need to complete the following form, available from the PVP staff at your local CMA:

If your application meets the eligibility criteria the CMA will work with you to finalise your PVP agreement and negotiate the required offset PVP with a suitable provider. Applicants are required to fund 50% of the on-ground costs of establishing the required offset.

Assistance for Offset Pools will be provided in order of that applications are received, following confirmation of eligibility from the RAA. Assistance is available until all funds are exhausted or all eligible applications received before 30 June 2009 have been offered assistance, whichever occurs first.

For more information

Your PVP officer will be able to provide more information on the Native Vegetation Assistance Package, or you can contact the CMA Native Vegetation Assistance Package Team on 02 6881 3429.

Note: This information does not constitute formal legal advice. Please seek specific advice from your local CMA before undertaking any clearing or taking action based on the expectation of receiving farmer exit assistance.