Biodiversity assessment and ecological advisory
Statutory biodiversity assessment, environmental approvals, and construction-stage ecology for development, infrastructure, government, and education projects across NSW, led and reviewed by BAM Accredited Assessors.
Biodiversity assessment in NSW is the process of establishing what native vegetation, threatened species, and habitat a site supports, how a proposal will affect them, and what the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 requires as a result.
Depending on the site and approval pathway, that may mean a Flora and Fauna Assessment, a Test of Significance, or a Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR). It can lead to vegetation management planning, targeted species surveys, Controlled Activity Approval advice, and ecological supervision during construction. ESEA delivers these services with statutory biodiversity assessments led and reviewed by a BAM Accredited Assessor at all stages.
You will need a biodiversity assessment where a development application clears native vegetation, affects land on the Biodiversity Values Map, or may affect threatened species or ecological communities.
For local development, the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme applies where proposed native vegetation clearing meets or exceeds the area threshold for the relevant minimum lot size, as set out in the table below.
| Minimum lot size | Clearing threshold for the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 hectare | 0.25 hectares or more |
| 1 hectare to less than 40 hectares | 0.5 hectares or more |
| 40 hectares to less than 1,000 hectares | 1 hectare or more |
| 1,000 hectares or more | 2 hectares or more |
The scheme can also be triggered by impacts to areas mapped on the Biodiversity Values Map, a significant impact result under the Test of Significance, or impacts to an Area of Outstanding Biodiversity Value. State Significant Development and State Significant Infrastructure enter the scheme by default, although a BDAR waiver may be available where the statutory decision-makers determine that the proposal is unlikely to have a significant impact on biodiversity values.
On land covered by the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan or the older Growth Centres biodiversity certification, the pathway is different again, so the first step on any Western Sydney site is to establish which instrument covers the land and the proposed works.
We deliver practical, strategically informed biodiversity assessment and compliance solutions that support project approvals while helping maximise development potential, subdivision yield, and Gross Floor Area.
We engage early to identify ecological constraints, establish the most appropriate assessment and approval pathways, and develop solutions that minimise redesign, delays, and unnecessary costs. This includes considering the applicability of Growth Centres biodiversity certification, the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan, Biodiversity Assessment Method requirements, and waterfront land approvals before recommending the necessary assessments. Where design flexibility remains, we prioritise strategic impact avoidance to maximise developable area while minimising biodiversity credit obligations.
Our assessments are supported by rigorous field surveys, detailed GIS mapping, and defensible ecological evidence, with reports prepared to withstand regulatory scrutiny, independent peer review, and, where necessary, Land and Environment Court proceedings. Every project is managed by an experienced Senior Consultant from commencement through to completion, with Director-level review providing additional technical and strategic oversight.
Through responsive communication, clear timelines, and efficient delivery, we help maintain project momentum and ensure environmental assessment supports, rather than delays, successful development outcomes.
Send us the site address and the proposed works. We will check the clearing threshold, the Biodiversity Values Map, and the likely approval pathway, and prepare an itemised proposal for the assessment your site needs.
Call Us: 1300 000 525
402 / 56 Bowman Street,
Pyrmont, Sydney NSW 2009
Office Hours: 8:30am-5pm, Mon-Fri
ABN: 93673841257
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