Nature Repair Market: A Brief Guide to Replanting Native Forest and Woodland Ecosystems Method

The Nature Repair Market, national voluntary biodiversity marketing, has released its first methodology; Replanting Native Forest and Woodland Ecosystems. In this blog, we’ll be answering some common questions around what the method covers, eligibility, how to measure biodiversity, as well as compliance and monitoring requirements.

What does this method cover?

As the name suggests, the Replanting Native Forest and Woodland Ecosystems Method seeks to re-establish native vegetation and support ecosystems by planting native plant species that were present, or likely to have been present, on the land, prior to historical land clearing.

Replanting projects carried out as part of remediation for a breach or violation are not covered under this method and are not eligible to receive a biodiversity certificate.

What are the eligibility criteria?

To be eligible, projects must be contained entirely within specific Australian regions and meet land eligibility requirements, such as:

• The project area must not currently have forest cover
• The project area must have been comprehensively, historically cleared
• Prior to being cleared, the project area must have supported, or be likely to have supported, native woody vegetation that provided forest cover across the entirety of the project area
• Within 3 years prior to project application, any native vegetation within the project area must not have been damaged or destroyed by mechanical or chemical means
• The project area must have forest cover potential
• The project area must not currently contain woody biomass*

(*The land must not contain existing woody biomass unless: the species are native to the local area and are consistent with the reference ecosystem for the area; and the stems of any trees and shrubs have a diameter of less than 5cm at breast height; and the density of saplings of native canopy tree species more than 50 cm tall is no more than 3 stems per 10m x 10m of land.)

Figure 1: Map of regions that are eligible under the method. Image from Clean Energy Regulator.

How long do projects last?

Given that some Australian native species can take years or even decades to mature, project periods (known as permanence periods) are set, by default, to either 25 or 100 years. These periods start from when the project is approved for registration with the Nature Repair Market. The individual or organisation (the project proponent) responsible for carrying out the project must specify the permanence period at registration. 

How does the method measure biodiversity?

To help ensure the ongoing success of each project under the method, project proponents will need to track the ecosystem’s condition throughout the life of the project.

This is tracked through a range of indicators including:

• Canopy heights of native vegetation (in metres)
• Crown cover from native plants in the canopy and mid-story layer (%)\
• The number of native species
• Crown cover of non-native plants in the canopy and mid-story layer (%)
• Native and non-native ground cover (%)

Figure 2 Timeline of ecosystem condition through key checkpoints. Image from Clean Energy Regulator

Project proponents will only be able to apply for a biodiversity certificate when certain targets have been met, and it is considered likely that the project aims will be achieved. This is determined by comparing growth to benchmark values established in the project’s initial site assessment. These assessments need to be completed by a Suitable Qualified Person and will need to be submitted with your application to register your project with the Nature Repair Market.

What is a Suitable Qualified Person?

Under the method, project proponents are required to engage a Suitable Qualified Person (SQP) to help with your project. Under the method, a SQP must:

• Have qualifications in ecology, botany or equivalent
• Have at least 3 years, post award of their qualification, working in their chosen field
• Have practiced as an ecologist, botanist or equivalent within the last 3 years of working on the project

What are the monitoring requirements?

To receive a biodiversity certificate under the method, the project proponent must engage a suitably qualified person to help monitor and report on the status of the project. These reports must adhere to data submission guidelines, and, depending on the specifics of your project, could include information such as:

• Area details, including maps of the project area, and a description of the reference ecosystems and starting condition of the area.
• Monitoring data, including reports on all species planted, natural regeneration, plant survival/mortality, and progress toward restoration targets.
• Analysis of progress against both restoration targets and threshold values (used for issuing certificates).
• Any major plant loss, natural threats, or fire events as well as records of any threatened species found onsite or nearby.
• Activities during the reporting period such as planting, natural regeneration, weed and pest control, seed collection, and any livestock exclusions.
• If the project involves culturally significant entities, information on permission given by Traditional owners as well as details on the handling of Indigenous knowledge or data in culturally appropriate ways, and with proper consent.

Next Steps

Restoring native ecosystems through the Nature Repair Market isn’t just about planting trees—it’s about long-term commitment, careful planning, and ongoing monitoring. Without the right expertise and a strong understanding of the method, projects can stall or fall short of their goals.

But with the right support and a clear roadmap, these projects can deliver meaningful, measurable biodiversity outcomes—and make a real difference to Australia’s biodiversity and environment.