New land management and biodiversity conservation laws will improve environmental outcomes and the productivity of NSW farmers.
As part of the NSW Government’s biodiversity conservation reforms, a private land conservation program will give farmers more options to boost agricultural productivity and manage private land for conservation.
Sixty-five additional Local Land Services staff will support farmers in the program.
The NSW Government has committed $240 million over five years to private land conservation, with an additional $70 million each year after that, subject to performance reviews.
A Biodiversity Conservation Trust has been established to manage the government’s investment in private land conservation.
Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair said the program would provide greater fairness and flexibility to farmers.
“They can now focus on what they do best, producing some of the best food and fibre in the world,” Mr Blair said.
With more than 70 per cent of land in NSW under private ownership or Crown leasehold, the support of private landowners is an important part of conserving biodiversity in NSW. Many ecological communities and threatened species are found only on privately owned and managed land.