Landholders partner with government to protect Hunter biodiversity

Minister Penny Sharpe and Biodiversity Conservation Trust representatives at Monica Oppen's Rothbury property

Native plants and animals across 1800 hectares of the Cessnock Local Government Area have been protected through a partnership between the state government and 33 land holders.

The partnerships between the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust and landholders will make it easier to protect native species and habitat on private land.

The conservation agreements protect a range of threatened or endangered native species and habitats under long-term arrangements that see landholders maintain and enhance biodiversity on their own properties.

Monica Oppen's Rothbury property is home to the critically endangered shrub Persoonia pauciflora, or North Rothbury Persoonia. Her active management of the site has resulted in its protection.

She has successfully applied for two NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust grants worth $53,400 to fund habitat restoration, weed control, installation of conservation fencing and contractors to conduct works such as ecological burns.

Environment minister Penny Sharpe at Ms Oppen's Rothbury property.

The critically endangered shrub Persoonia pauciflora.

"I've had this land under a conservation agreement for 14 years, and in that time I've received a huge amount of support from the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust to be able to manage the land," she said.

"Three years ago we burned an area of this country to get some of the native invasives under control, and we're seeing it bounce back beautifully."

Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Penny Sharpe said private land conservation was an essential part of caring for our environment.

"The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust works in partnership with land holders to make it easier for them to protect their land. I'm pleased to have visited Cessnock to see first-hand how successful this work is," she said.

"The private land conservation efforts of farmers and property owners protect more than 200 threatened species across more than 500,000 hectares of permanently protected land in NSW."

All options for conservation management come with the assistance and advice of ecologists and support staff and provide opportunities to participate in citizen science programs.

Landholders interested in private land conservation can visit www.bct.nsw.gov.au or phone 1300 992 688.