Australian Government launches Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot

The Australian Government is encouraging the integration of trees on farms through its Carbon + Biodiversity Pilot which is part of its wider $34 million commitment to biodiversity stewardship on farms.

The Pilot’s objective is to encourage tree plantings that benefit farmers by providing shelter for livestock, improving soil moisture and reducing erosion while also encouraging positive biodiversity outcomes.

Under the Pilot, farmers who plant native trees in certain geographic regions will receive payments for biodiversity outcomes. NRM North in Tasmania has been identified as an eligible region for the Pilot program.

These payments will be in addition to earnings a landholder might receive for their carbon abatement. Participants in the Pilot are required to protect and maintain plantings for 25-years.

Applications open on 12 April 2021 and close on 11 June 2021.

Further information about the Pilot, including eligibility criteria and guidelines, can be accessed here.