Backed by an innovative financing model, environmental not-for-profit, Greening Australia, has partnered with impact investment firm, Conscious Investment Management (CIM), to deliver biodiverse environmental planting projects across Australia.
The parties just made their first investment with the purchase of a 755-hectare property in Southern NSW, known as ‘Dixieland’, and have plans to plant around 140,000 native trees and shrubs on the property in 2025.
Dixieland is located in the Snowy Monaro region of Southern NSW about 2.5 hours south-west of Canberra. Typical Snowy Mountains sheep grazing country, the area has a legacy of clearing and has piqued the interest of universities and local and state governments due to its alarming signs of biodiversity loss and vulnerability.
Restoration of the property is designed to benefit several nationally listed woodland bird species including the Hooded Robin, Diamond Firetail and Southern Whiteface, and will contribute to the recovery of the critically endangered Monaro Tableland Cool Temperate Grassy Woodland vegetation community.
The planting design focuses on diverse native species endemic to the area with the goal of supporting conservation of native wildlife by creating and connecting habitat across the landscape. Long-term climate resilience is also a key consideration.
A pivotal moment to help scale up restoration
Greening Australia says its purchase of Dixieland and partnership with CIM is a pivotal moment to help scale up restoration across Australia.
“Dixieland is an uncommon beauty in an ecologically significant location. Restoration of the property will create and link critical habitat for native species whilst storing carbon and delivering co-benefits for the local community. Our partnership with CIM will channel investment into further property acquisitions for biodiverse environmental planting projects like this one, helping scale our vital restoration work through the power of environmental markets,” says Greening Australia CEO Heather Campbell.
The parties have plans to register the property as an environmental plantings project via the Clean Energy Regulator with a 100-year permanence period.
Greening Australia will act as landowner and project developer and CIM has provided innovative financing for the project with repayments linked to the generation and sale of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) through the environmental planting methodology.
“Alarming rates of biodiversity collapse”
CIM Executive Director Casey Taylor says the partnership establishes a scalable framework to support Greening Australia’s mission to restore Australia’s diverse landscapes and protect biodiversity:
“Australia exhibits alarming rates of biodiversity collapse and species extinction. Our partnership with Greening Australia aims to deliver environmental planting projects with a focus on biodiversity and climate resilience and which structurally embed perpetual land custodianship.
“Having delivered biodiverse planting projects over their more than 40-year history, restoration is in Greening Australia’s DNA. They are a highly credentialed partner and we deeply value their on-ground expertise.
“We hope to replicate the Dixieland project in other regions and continue to make a tangible, visible difference to Australian landscapes with the backing of our over 750 mission aligned investors.”
Dixieland marks the second natural capital investment by CIM, having recently provided financing to the Kullilli Bulloo River Aboriginal Corporation to acquire and regenerate a parcel of their native title land in South-West Queensland.
Conscious Investment Management was advised by Kain Lawyers and KPMG, and Greening Australia was advised by Norton Rose Fulbright.
Greening Australia
Greening Australia has been restoring Australia’s unique landscapes and protecting biodiversity at scale through collaborative, science-based programs for over 40 years. Greening Australia is committed to tackling Australia’s greatest environmental challenges in ways that work for communities, economies and nature; planting millions of native trees and plants, protecting hundreds of native species, and supporting Traditional Owners’ aspirations for restoring Country. See www.greeningaustralia.org.au.
Conscious Investment Management
Conscious Investment Management (CIM) is an independent impact investment fund manager with a vision for a fairer, more sustainable world where people and the planet thrive. CIM does this by investing for positive impact without compromising financial returns, delivering impact investments that are authentic, accessible, and scalable.
Since inception in 2019, CIM has invested $330 million into impact investments in a range of sectors including social and affordable housing, Specialist Disability Accommodation, renewable energy, natural capital and social impact bonds. To date, CIM has been focussed on investing in real assets, predominantly in Australia. You can read more about CIM’s work in their latest impact report here. Or visit www.consciousinvest.com.au.