Deciding how to deliver an environmental offset
Proponent driven offset
A proponent-driven offset may take the form of a traditional land-based offset, be undertaken through actions under a Direct Benefit Management Plan (DBMP) or a combination of both.
An offset delivery plan is required for all proponent-driven offsets. A non-mandatory Offset Delivery Plan template (DOCX, 77KB) is available to assist you in the development of your offset delivery plan in line with the requirements under the Queensland environmental offset framework. You may choose to use or modify this template as necessary or provide an alternative offset delivery plan which meets these requirements.
Generally, all proponent-driven offsets must be legally secured. Read about the different legal security mechanisms.
Land-based offsets
The following tools and templates are available to help you deliver your land-based offsets:
- Guide to determining terrestrial habitat quality: Version 1.3 (PDF, 1.76MB)
This guide sets out how to assess the suitability of an offset site relative to an impact site, determine the appropriate size and scale of an offset relative to an impact, conduct a baseline habitat quality assessment for an advanced offset application, and assess the achievement of, or progress toward achieving, a conservation outcome at an offset site. See Resources for superseded versions. - Tool: Land-based Offset Multiplier Calculator (XLSM, 233KB)
This calculator uses multipliers to determine the required size of an offset site, relative to the size of the impact site for prescribed environmental matters that have been assessed using the ‘Guide to Determining Terrestrial Habitat Quality’.
The required environmental offset delivery form for providing a land-based offset is:
These forms will need to be submitted to the relevant administering agency for the prescribed activity.
Please note: The activity, for which the offset delivery plan relates, should not start until the relevant administering agency and proponent enter into an agreed delivery arrangement. Proponents should allow up to three (3) months for the assessment of an offset delivery plan by the relevant administering agency.
In this guide: