Bathurst MP Paul Toole said the Conservation Partner Grants, offered through the Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT), were intended to help private landholders maintain the ecological values of their property.

“Funding is available for things like fencing, weed control, introduced pest animal control, supplementary planting and habitat restoration,” Mr Toole said.

“This program is part of the NSW Government’s commitment through the BCT to support and encourage landholders to conserve and manage biodiversity on private land.”

Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton said the opening of this program for applications followed the NSW Government’s investment of $240 million over five years, and $70 million per year ongoing in private land conservation as part of the land management and biodiversity conservation reforms.

“The not-for-profit Biodiversity Conservation Trust will offer $37 million for programs in 2018,” Ms Upton said.

“This will deliver major benefits to the environment and support landholders to carry out important conservation management on their properties.”

Landholders with a conservation agreement or wildlife refuge agreement with the BCT that do not receive annual conservation management payments are eligible to apply for grants.

Landholders participating in the Community Environment Network’s Land for Wildlife program or Humane Society International’s Wildlife Land Trust program are also eligible to apply.

Details of the programs are available at the BCT website www.bct.nsw.gov.au, by email at info@bct.nsw.gov.au or by phone on 1300 992 688