Nillumbik native vegetation offset program

If you need to buy native vegetation offsets, you can purchase them through Nillumbik Shire Council’s over-the-counter Native Vegetation Offset Program.

The program helps applicants to meet their offset requirements, as outlined in their planning permit conditions.

Trading of credits is governed by and recorded on the Victoria Government’s Native Vegetation Credit Register. For more information go to the Department of Environment's Offsets for the removal of native vegetation page.

Buying offset credits from the NVOP

Steps

Step 1.Talk to us 

We need to know about your property, the native vegetation you are proposing to remove, and the offsets required. Contact our Biodiversity Officer – call 9433 3328 or email offsets@nillumbik.vic.gov.au.

Step 2.Request a quote

You must provide your Native Vegetation Removal Report, a copy of your planning permit and complete a Request for Quote form.

Request a quote(DOCX, 461KB)

Step 3.Accept our quote

If we have credits available, we send you a ‘quote and purchase of credits’ form that includes the terms of the credit agreement. To agree to the quote and proceed, sign and send it back within 30 days.

Step 4.Pay our invoice

If you have agreed to our credit agreement, we send you an invoice for those credits. You must pay within 30 days.  

Step 5.Prove you have met your offset requirements

We send details of the trade to the Native Vegetation Credit Register managed by the Victorian Government. A ‘Credit Extract’ is evidence of the trade and a copy will be sent  to you. You submit this to Council's Planning Services team to show that the permit conditions have been met. 

Cost of our native vegetation credits 

We sell credits (General and Species Habitat units) at a fixed price. Prices are set using a costing model based on the cost of establishing and managing the offset site, any liability or risk, running the program and the market value of native vegetation credits. 

Offset sites – what are they

A native vegetation offset is a site that protects existing patches of native vegetation and large old trees, or it may sometimes require planting of new native vegetation. An offset site is protected by a title agreement, has a management plan and is registered on the state Native Vegetation Credit Register.

NVOP – why we run this service

Council started the program to:

  • make the processing of planning applications more efficient 
  • streamline any of our projects and works that require the removal of native vegetation
  • retain vegetation offsets within our municipality 
  • improve the quality and extent of vegetation at offset sites.

More information

Native vegetation removal and offsets – planning advice