Northern Beaches Council has entered a biobanking agreement with the State Government to help fund the ongoing conservation of the ecologically-important Ingleside Chase Reserve.

The biobanking agreement is the first of its type for Council.

Negotiated with the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, the agreement means a biobank site is established at Ingleside to help manage the land for conservation.

Ingleside Chase Reserve is a 70-hectare bushland reserve owned and managed by Council and is located on the Warriewood Escarpment between the suburbs of Warriewood, Ingleside and Elanora Heights.

Mayor Michael Regan said the arrangement will enable Council to continue its important work conserving the Reserve.

“Ingleside is home to many endangered species of threatened plants and animals. The Reserve is critical to the region’s biodiversity and it is vital it be maintained, but this does require significant ongoing funding.

“The biobanking agreement provides an opportunity to secure a substantially larger budget to continue to manage the Reserve.

“Apart from protecting threatened plants and animals, Council’s work at Ingleside includes reducing the impact of weeds and feral animals, and minimising the human impact to improve water quality in the Narrabeen, Fern and Mullet Creek catchments.”

Under the biobanking agreement, Council receives credits calculated on the vegetation type and fauna species present. These credits can be sold to developers, for example, looking to offset their environmental impact.

This generates funds for Council for the environmental management of the site on an ongoing basis.

Media Enquiries: media@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au 9942 2678