Nature Repair Market is open for business

Australia’s voluntary national biodiversity market, the Nature Repair Market, has today signalled it is open for business with the first project registered under the scheme.

The Albanese Government introduced the Nature Repair Market in its first term of government to make it easier for landholders, farmers, First Nations groups and conservation groups to invest in activities that help repair nature.

The first project greenlit under the program is a cattle grazing property in the Mid North Coast region in New South Wales, which will plant trees and shrubs to support native ecosystems. The 438 hectare-project area is equivalent to approximately 200 MCG fields, or a whopping 600 footy fields.

Project proponent, Silva Capital, is diversifying their land management practices to include biodiversity and carbon market planting projects.

Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt said this project shows land managers and investors are interested in projects that protect and restore our natural environment.

“We know that the private sector is looking for large-scale opportunities to invest in nature on privately owned land,” Minister Watt said.

“Projects like these enable landholders to farm on productive areas of their land while revegetating cleared, less productive areas. This is important because replanting restores ecosystems and enhances long term sustainability and resilience.

“The Nature Repair Market provides an efficient, effective and well-regulated way to invest in high-integrity biodiversity outcomes.

“The market’s backed by government and built on strong legislative and science-based frameworks to give investors and land managers confidence in the scheme.

“Plus the projects must achieve verifiable biodiversity outcomes, which is meaningful for the environment.

“We strongly hope investors take inspiration from this first project and come up with their own ways of tapping in.

“And as the market grows, there’ll be more opportunities and new ways to participate, driving investment and actions with big environmental benefits.”

More information on the project is listed on the Biodiversity Market Register, which launched today. The register is a key integrity feature of the Nature Repair Market that ensures project and certificate information is transparent and accessible.

The Clean Energy Regulator administers the market, assesses and audits projects and maintains the Biodiversity Market Register.