Our approach
Protection pathways
BioDiversity Legacy helps landholders, families, donors and communities find practical pathways to protect land for conservation — permanently. Every place is different. Our role is to understand the landholder or community's vision, the needs of the land and the local context, then help identify the most suitable pathway for long-term protection, stewardship and governance.
How land can be protected
BioDiversity Legacy supports three core conservation pathways. Through our work with landholders, communities and the broader private land conservation sector, we continue to develop innovative, place-based models that respond to the needs of each property and community.
In many cases, the best outcome can be achieved by connecting landholders or donors with existing conservation organisations, covenant bodies, Traditional Owner groups or professional advisors.
This may include organisations such as:
- Bush Heritage Australia
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy
- Trust for Nature
- Biodiversity Conservation Trust NSW
- Tasmanian Land Conservancy
- Professional advisors.
A Local Landholding Entity, or LLE, is a not-for-profit organisation that holds the land title for conservation as the legal, permanent landholder. LLEs are locally governed, with decisions made by people who know the place. The LLE appoints a separate stewardship group to manage the land and support good governance.
In some circumstances, land may be transferred directly to BioDiversity Legacy (BDL), including through a gift, bequest or gift in will. This pathway may be suitable where BDL is the appropriate long-term holder of the land and can support its protection.
Local Landholding Entity pathway
With the support of leading legal organisations, BioDiversity Legacy pioneered the Local Landholding Entity model as a practical structure for permanent, community-led land protection.
An LLE is established as a Company Limited by Guarantee. It has no shareholders and cannot be owned by an individual or group. Instead, it is governed by members under a constitution designed to protect the land and its conservation purpose over the long term.
This structure allows land to be held in not-for-profit ownership, while enabling local people, groups and partners to care for it without needing to own it personally. Each LLE can be tailored to the landholder's vision, the needs of the land and the local community.
LLEs are governed by people and organisations with relevant skills, knowledge and connections to the place. They operate independently at a local scale, with governance arrangements designed to support collaboration, accountability and long-term care.
BioDiversity Legacy supports the establishment and transfer process by providing guidance, resources and connections. We can also help link LLEs with people and organisations in our network to strengthen governance, stewardship and conservation outcomes.
Stewardship
Once land is held in a secure ownership structure, stewardship can be arranged in a flexible and place-based way.
The stewardship group may be a community not-for-profit, Incorporated Association, Traditional Owner group, Landcare group, landholder group or another suitable local organisation.
This flexibility allows stewardship to evolve over time as people, capacity and community needs change.
It also enables local knowledge to be combined with specialist advice and partnerships, so the land receives the best possible care.
Rather than imposing a single model, BioDiversity Legacy supports stewardship arrangements that are grounded in the place, the people connected to it and the long-term needs of the land.
Ready to explore what is possible?
Whether you are a landholder, community member, advisor, donor or partner organisation, a first conversation is simply a place to begin.