The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, and Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017 outline the framework for addressing impacts on biodiversity from development and clearing. The framework requires a proponent to avoid, minimise and offset impacts on biodiversity from these actions using the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme.
The Biodiversity Offsets Scheme includes the Biodiversity Assessment Method 2017 (BAM), which is enabled by section 6.7 of the Biodiversity Conservation Act.
The BAM also establishes the process to assess biodiversity for biodiversity stewardship agreements, which are voluntary in-perpetuity agreements entered into by landholders, to secure offset sites.