Bush Recovery Programme

The NRCMA Bush Recovery Program aims to assist landholders to protect high conservation value habitat and manage native vegetation.

It targets landscapes on the NSW North Coast and Northern Tablelands identified as priorities for protection and rehabilitation. These include rainforest, wetlands, old growth forest, key habitats and corridors, coastal dunes, riparian vegetation, and rare and endangered forest communities.

The application process is simple and the Program uses a flexible, market-based approach. Landholders submit a bid for the funding they need to implement a site action plan under an agreement and term selected by the landholder. Areas can be protected from ten years to in perpetuity by way of secure conservation agreements. These are in the form of either Property Vegetation Plans under the NSW Native Vegetation Act, or civil contracts as Landholder Management Agreements.

The program has been a great success in engaging with landholders, building skills and capacity to manage native vegetation, and securing long-term protection of large, high value areas. The first three rounds have delivered almost $2.5 million to 90 properties totalling around 4,500 hectares and at an average cost of $21/ha/yr. 

Bush Recovery Program Funds have previously been sourced through the NSW State Sustainability Fund and Commonwealth Natural Heritage Trust. The program has been very popular in rural communities and while demand far exceeds available funds over 40% of applicants are funded. The NRCMA has made an application to the Commonwealth Government to run a fourth round of the Program in 2008 / 2009.

The NRCMA E-news network is a monthly newsletter on NRCMA and other funding, training and learning opportunities. If you would like to register for E-news please send an email to northern@cma.nsw.gov.au with ‘register E-news' in the email subject.

Alternatively, for further information on the Bush Recovery Program please contact Michael Hallinan, Catchment Officer on Ph 02 6627 0119 or email michael.hallinan@cma.nsw.gov.au