Frequently asked questions

They are prepared by our ecology team and led and reviewed by a BAM Accredited Assessor. Accreditation is held by the individual, not the company, so the accredited assessor responsible for each BDAR is identified in the report and certifies the assessment.

No. Despite the similar initials, ESEA is not the NSW Environment Protection Authority or any other government body. We are a private environmental consultancy that prepares assessments and advice for clients, and we hold a buy.nsw supplier profile so that government clients can engage us through the normal procurement channels.

In March 2024, by Clayton Woods, who remains the Director. The team's experience extends well before that through previous roles in government conservation and environmental consulting in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Yes. We are at Suite 402/56 Bowman Street, Pyrmont, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm. Call 1300 000 525 first so the right person is there to meet you.

The service you need first will depend on the nature of your project, its location, and the objectives of the proponent. Get in touch with ESEA today to discuss your project. Our consultants can assist with high-level ecological due diligence and project scoping to ensure the appropriate reports, assessment pathways, and regulatory approvals are identified and considered from the outset, helping to minimise delays, avoid unnecessary costs, and support successful project outcomes.

Core biodiversity, arboriculture, and sustainability advisory services are delivered by ESEA's team. Some project-specific components, such as accredited laboratory analysis, specialist testing, external trade work, or formal independent assurance, may need an appropriately qualified external provider. Where that applies, we identify it clearly in the scope rather than presenting an external specialist as an ESEA in-house qualification.

Yes. We prepare Reviews of Environmental Factors for councils and their contractors, undertake biodiversity peer review for councils in the Greater Sydney region, hold a buy.nsw supplier profile and work with education and research organisations on assessment and monitoring.

Yes. Reviewing your information and preparing an itemised proposal is free, and there is no obligation to accept it.

We aim to provide an itemised proposal within two business days for straightforward enquiries, once we have the site address, plans, and any relevant correspondence. Larger or more complex scopes can take longer, and we will tell you when to expect it.

Because the fee depends on what the site and the guidelines require, such as the number of vegetation types, whether threatened species need seasonal surveys, and the approval pathway. The proposal turns the range into an itemised fee once we have seen the site and the plans.

For a clearly defined scope, yes, we can quote a lump sum. The proposal states what that sum covers and what would be a variation, such as additional survey seasons or design changes after the assessment.

Tell us the deadline when you first get in touch, whether it is a lodgement, an acquisition bid, or a court date. We will tell you plainly whether we can meet it, and if a survey season or an authority timeframe is what actually sets the programme, we will say so.

Yes. We work across New South Wales, including the Hawkesbury, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, the Hunter, the Mid-Western Region, the Southern Highlands, and the North and South Coasts. Travel and accommodation for regional work are itemised in the proposal.

ESEA's Flora and Fauna Assessments generally start from about $8,000 plus GST and Biodiversity Development Assessment Reports from about $15,000 plus GST. Complex BDARs with seasonal threatened species surveys, several vegetation zones, or detailed credit assessment can reach $50,000 or more. Site size, vegetation complexity, survey requirements, and the approval pathway drive the figure. Biodiversity credit purchases and government charges are separate from our fee.

A Flora and Fauna Assessment or Small Area BDAR is usually two to four weeks after fieldwork and a stable design. A full BDAR commonly takes four to six weeks or longer. Where a threatened species needs a seasonal survey, the programme can extend by months, which is the reason to engage us before the design is fixed.

Yes. ESEA provides strategic environmental advice from the outset of a project, identifying ecological constraints early and developing practical solutions to avoid and minimise impacts on native vegetation, thereby reducing biodiversity offset credit obligations wherever possible. Our approach balances environmental compliance with commercial project objectives, seeking to minimise credit costs while maximising development potential, subdivision yield, and Gross Floor Area. By engaging early in the design process, we help clients make informed decisions that minimise redesign, approval delays, and unnecessary costs, while supporting successful development outcomes.

Most provisions of the Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Biodiversity Offsets Scheme) Act 2024 commenced on 7 March 2025. The reforms require the scheme to transition towards net positive biodiversity outcomes, removed the ability for proponents to seek new approvals to use the variation rules, clarified staged offsetting for local development, and introduced Environment Minister concurrence for State Significant projects where approval conditions depart from BDAR credit requirements. Provisions for new assessment standards on genuine avoidance and minimisation have not yet commenced pending supporting regulation. As at 30 September 2026, BAM 2020 remains operative and an updated BAM is under public consultation. ESEA prepares reports to the instruments in force at the time and states the applicable method and version.

No. Certification under the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan or the Growth Centres program changes the statutory assessment pathway for covered land and works, but habitat trees, retained vegetation, waterways, fauna welfare, and conditions of consent still apply, and the certification has to cover the actual lot and the actual works, including external infrastructure.

ESEA's Arboricultural Impact Assessments generally fall between about $7,000 and $15,000 plus GST, and tree risk assessments between about $1,000 and $5,000, depending on the number of trees, site access, the survey information available, and how closely the proposed works approach retained trees. Basement, driveway, and services encroachments into Tree Protection Zones add work because each needs an impact assessment and a protection response.

Typically one to three weeks from the site inspection and receipt of the design, longer where design changes occur or additional investigation such as root mapping is needed. Council's consideration of the tree or development application is separate and outside that period.

No. ESEA assesses trees, prepares arboricultural advice, and supervises clearing for fauna and tree protection. Removal and pruning are carried out by tree contractors independently of our role, which keeps our advice independent of any work that follows it.

Arboricultural Impact Assessments and tree protection advice follow Australian Standard AS 4970:2025, Protection of trees on development sites, including the current Amendment 1:2025. The 2025 edition replaced AS 4970-2009 and grades Tree Protection Zone encroachment as minor, moderate, or major. Pruning specifications reference AS 4373. Tree risk assessments use the International Society of Arboriculture tree-risk assessment methodology.

Mandatory climate-related disclosure applies to entities that meet the Corporations Act reporting criteria, with Group 1 reporting periods beginning from 1 January 2025, Group 2 from 1 July 2026, and Group 3 from 1 July 2027. Most small and medium organisations are not directly captured but may still be asked for value-chain information by reporting customers or lenders. ESEA can help scope the environmental information and data work required, while the legal or accounting determination of whether your organisation is in scope should be confirmed with an appropriately qualified adviser.

It depends on the purpose and audience. AASB S2 applies where the Australian mandatory climate-reporting regime captures the entity. ISSB-aligned disclosure may be requested by investors or lenders, GRI can be appropriate for broader impact-focused sustainability reporting, and project financiers may require alignment with the IFC Performance Standards or Equator Principles. We scope the environmental and sustainability work to the requirement rather than assuming one framework fits every organisation.

No. Our peer review is a technical check of whether a document addresses the framework it claims to follow, where the evidence gaps are, and what should be corrected before issue. Independent assurance is a separate engagement under an assurance standard. We can identify where formal assurance appears to be required and recommend that the client confirm the requirement with its auditor or assurance provider.