Protecting nature in the ACT will require looking beyond public reserves. Enabling permanent conservation on private land, backed by clear targets and strong frameworks, is critical to meeting biodiversity goals over the next decade.
Australia has committed to protecting 30% of land by 2030, and the ACT has adopted this goal at a territory level. Yet many important ecosystems - particularly outside public reserves - remain under‑protected. Privately managed land makes up a large share of landscapes where threatened species and ecosystems persist. At the same time, new national tools like the Nature Repair Market are emerging, but the ACT currently lacks the legal mechanisms needed for landholders to participate fully.
Our submission responds to the ACT Government’s consultation on the Nature Conservation Strategy 2026–2036, which will guide how nature is protected and restored across the Territory. We outline key recommendations:
Include a target to create a conservation covenanting program in the ACT
Unlike most Australian jurisdictions, the ACT does not have a program that allows permanent protection of nature on private land through conservation covenants. Establishing such a program would unlock long‑term protection for under‑represented ecosystems and allow ACT landholders to access tax incentives and new nature markets.
Retain and deliver the target to protect under‑represented ecosystems
Our submission strongly supports retaining the Strategy’s target to increase protection of under‑represented ecosystems, and supports the ACT’s ambition to protect at least 30% of ecosystems by 2033.
Use expert input to develop an Indicator Framework to measure success, and a Conserved Area Policy
ALCA offers its members’ expertise - ecologists, land managers, and monitoring specialists - to help design a practical and credible indicator framework to track progress, and a Conserved Area Policy that reflects international best practice.
Support conservation beyond national parks
We urge the ACT to keep proposed commitments that support conservation on land outside formal protected areas, supported by clear legislation and policy so it can genuinely strengthen the overall network of protected and conserved land.
