Nature Conservation Covenant Program

How does the program work? 

The department offers landowners the opportunity to use conservation covenants to protect the nature conservation values of their properties.

The Nature Conservation Covenant is a voluntary, legally binding document that has provisions restricting activities that might threaten the land's conservation values. Every conservation covenant is individually negotiated between the Department and the landowner, and aims to maintain the conservation values of the bushland whilst allowing for flexibility to reflect the landowner's wishes for the land.

What are the benefits? 

Apart from the sense of satisfaction provided by protecting an area of natural bushland and its associated wildlife in the long-term, there are a number of other advantages associated with protecting land with a conservation covenant:

• covenants entered into voluntarily (ie. not required as a condition of development on other areas of the property) are at no cost to the landowner;
• up to $500 is made available for the landowner to seek independent legal advice at the time of entering into the covenant;
• tax concessions may be available to landowners entering into perpetual conservation covenants (for more information follow the link to the Australian Government website - information about tax concessions);
• management guidelines are developed to help guide the future management of the land to meet conservation objectives;
• some funding for fencing or other management identified in the management guidelines, is available on a case-by-case basis;
• ongoing conservation advice is available to landowners to help them in their conservation efforts; and
• rate relief may apply.

What land qualifies for a nature conservation covenant?

There are two main considerations taken into account when assessing land for a nature conservation covenant:

• the land should demonstrate good nature conservation and biodiversity values
• with reasonable management, the land should be sustainable in the long term, taking into account the size and shape of the land, the intactness of the bushland, any diseases, pests or invasive plants that may be present, adjacent land uses, and rising water tables.

Bushland of lesser nature conservation value will be considered if there is positive owner attitude towards bushland management, such that the nature conservation values will be maintained or enhanced in the future.

A number of conservation priorities are also considered, although these do not strictly govern whether an area of bushland will be accepted for a conservation covenant:

• the presence of threatened flora or fauna, communities or habitats
• the provision of corridors or buffers to other important bushland areas
• land adjacent to or near National Parks, Regional Parks, Nature Reserves and other conservation areas
• the presence of vegetation that is not well represented in local or regional conservation reserves.

Further information

• Frequently asked questions about nature conservation covenants
• Department of Agriculture and Food (WA) covenants 
• Australian Government tax incentives
• Your Land, Its Future477.99 KB - a brochure on the three covenant programs currently operating in WA - Parks and Wildlife Service, National Trust of Australia (WA) and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (formerly Department of Agriculture and Food WA)