PHOTO: Image: Environmental NSW.
The Federal Government is calling for feedback on a potential new scheme to allow farmers to cash in on environment improvements they make to their land – with big businesses eyed as the ones likely to bankroll it.
Although it is farmers who could be set for a big windfall, some local farmers remain sceptical that the idea will work.
Draft legislation has just been released for public feedback on a proposed scheme which rewards landholders who restore or manage local habitat by granting them biodiversity certificates which can then be sold to other parties.
Under the Biodiversity Certificates Scheme, any landowner could sell environment improvements to businesses who had a potentially negative impact on biodiversity…