Cumberland Ecology’s expert team are well-versed in Biodiversity Assessment Method (BAM), required when working with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act (BC Act).
All Cumberland staff are well versed in the NSW BAM and we also have 10 accredited in-house BAM Assessors, ensuring your project ticks all the legislative boxes.
BAM assesses biodiversity under the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme (BOS).
As leaders in the latest training and requirements, we are your trusted advisors for technical and strategic support for development and conservation projects.
Cumberland Ecology has carried out many biodiversity assessments under the BAM for Part 4 Local Developments and State Significant Developments since the introduction of the BOS. These include small scale residential subdivisions and developments, commercial developments and wind and solar farms. We have also applied the BAM on proposed Biodiversity Stewardship Sites.
Our capabilities include:
❖ Test of Significance (ToS / 5-part Test)
❖ Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR)
❖ Biodiversity Certification Assessment Report (BCAR)
❖ Biodiversity Stewardship Site Assessment Report (BSSAR)
❖ Peer review of BDARs, BCARs, BBSARs and SAII assessments
❖ BDAR Waivers
The BOS was introduced under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act). The BC Act, and the Local Land Services Act 2013 (LLS Act), together provide the biodiversity assessment and management framework in NSW. The BOS is also supported by the Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017 and the Biodiversity Conservation (Savings and Transitional) Regulation 2017.
Key components of the BOS include:
❖ Avoid, minimise and offset framework
❖ Biodiversity Values Map (BV Map)
❖ Areas of Outstanding Biodiversity Value (AOBV)
❖ Serious and Irreversible Impacts (SAII)
❖ Biodiversity Conservation Fund (BCF)
❖ Biodiversity Stewardship Agreements (BSAs)
❖ Biodiversity credits, including ecosystem credits and species credits.
❖ Part 4 Local Developments, where the proposed development is likely to significantly affect threatened species; from a ToS / 5-part Test; exceeding the area of clearing threshold; clearing of native vegetation on the BV Map or occurrence within an AOBV. A BDAR must be prepared if the proposed development is likely to significantly affect threatened species.
❖ Part 5 Activities, where the proposed activity is assessed as likely to significantly affect threatened species and the proponent elects to assess impacts via a BDAR. An activity is assessed as likely to significantly affect threatened species through a ToS / 5-part Test or occurrence within an AOBV.
❖ State Significant Development (SSD) and State Significant Infrastructure (SSI), which require the preparation of a BDAR, unless a BDAR Waiver is granted.
❖ Biodiversity Certification Projects which require the preparation of a BCAR including standard and strategic certification.
Application of the BAM is also needed for Biodiversity Stewardship Agreements, which require the preparation of a Biodiversity Stewardship Site Assessment Report.
BSAs are in-perpetuity agreements that landholders can voluntarily enter, to establish their land as an offset to manage biodiversity.
The BAM is used to determine the biodiversity credit liability for developments and activities.
Before beginning a development or activity, the offsetting liability must be met. This can be through a range of pathways including purchase and retirement of credits off the credit market, or payment into the BCF.
