Biodiversity Assessment Report Sydney & New South Wales

What is a Biodiversity Assessment Report / Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR)?

 A Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) is a report document prepared by an Accredited Biodiversity Assessor consultant that identifies how a proponent of a Development Application (DA) or State Significant Development (SSD) in New South Wales, Australia will avoid, minimise and offset impacts from their proposed development upon native vegetation or threatened species  listed under the New South Wales Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017.  The BDAR addresses the requirements of the NSW Biodiversity Offset Scheme.

 How Land Eco Consulting can help you produce a BDAR that meets all of the requirements of your project approval

Land Eco Consulting provide Biodiversity Development Assessment Reports (BDAR) to meet Council/regulatory requirements of development application (DA) or State Significant Development (SSD) in greater Sydney, Newcastle, Hunter Valley, North Coast, Southern Highlands, Wollongong, and regional New South Wales, Australia.

Our team boasts expert BAM Accredited Biodiversity Assessors who are experienced in applying the NSW Biodiversity Assessment Method (BAM) for development applications (DA) and state significant developments (SSD) that trigger the New South Wales Biodiversity Offset Scheme.

Our experts conduct site assessments to map your development to Plant Community Type (PCT) and sample Vegetation Integrity Survey Plots (VIS) to enter into the NSW BAM Calculator in order to determine the type and number of Biodiversity Offset Credits you are required to 'retire' in order to 'offset' your DA or SSD.

Land Eco also undertake targeted surveys for 'Species Credit' fauna and flora threatened species in order to determine if these species are absent from your development site. By commissioning such surveys you can avoid costly offset obligations.

Not sure if your project requires a BDAR?

Land Eco can provide advice on what your project may need to progress to approval. 

We can prepare a 'Biodiversity Offset Feasibility Report' or 'Biodiversity Constraints Report' that identifies:

• how much native vegetation you can clear without triggering the NSW Biodiversity Offset Scheme
• whether undertaking a development on your land could contribute a significant impact to a threatened species, population, community, or area of outstanding biodiversity value, and if so, ho you can avoid this
• what type and number of Biodiversity Offset Credits may be required to offset your development
• how you can obtain these credits in the most cost-effective manner possible in order to meet the requirements of your regulatory authority.

If your development involves the clearing of native vegetation that exceeds the 'Area Clearing Threshold' or is located in the purple Biodiversity Values Map the Biodiversity Offset Scheme applies to the proposed development and you will be required to prepare and submit a Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) to your Local Council as part of your development application (DA). 

Area of Native Vegetation Clearing Threshold 

 The Biodiversity Offsets Scheme Threshold is a test used to determine when it is necessary to engage an accredited assessor to apply the Biodiversity Assessment Method (the BAM) to assess the impacts of a proposal.

It is used for local developments (development applications submitted to councils) and clearing that does not require development consent in urban areas and areas zoned for environmental conservation (under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Vegetation in Non-Rural Areas) 2017).

The Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017 sets out threshold levels for when the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme will be triggered. The threshold has two elements:

• whether the amount of native vegetation being cleared exceeds an area threshold
• whether the impacts occur on an area mapped on the Biodiversity Values Map published by the Environment Agency Head.

If clearing and other impacts exceeds either trigger, the Biodiversity Offset Scheme applies to the proposed development, including biodiversity impacts prescribed by clause 6.1 of the Biodiversity Regulation 2017.

The area threshold varies depending on the minimum lot size (find out your minimum lot size here), or actual lot size (where there is no minimum lot size provided for the relevant land under the LEP).