About the Webinar

Australia’s EPBC reform makes net gain the approvals baseline, with residual significant impacts compensated through on-ground restoration actions or restoration contribution charges. In this webinar, we will translate those settings into an Offset Management Plan (OMP) that is measurable, auditable and deliverable ahead of a national regulator commencing in 2026.

Using an anonymised offsets program, we show how management-based surveys prioritise areas/species, diagnose threats, set baselines and adaptive triggers, and size effort and costs - including efficient single-visit designs for remote properties. We balance what belongs in the OMP’s core Management Actions versus what is better expressed in Specialised Management Plans post approval, reflecting common EPBC condition structures.

Where suitable, we contrast the legacy framework with the draft National Environmental Standard for Environmental Offsets to clarify expectations for direct, tangible, quantifiable benefits.

Meet the Speakers

David Gatfield is Umwelt’s Queensland Ecology Manager and holds over 15 years’ experience in the planning and implementation of terrestrial ecology surveys, including threatened species monitoring and impact assessments in support of State and Commonwealth approvals. His expertise lies in navigating the complexities of the EPBC Act and ensuring successful project approvals and readiness for implementation. David's approach involves setting up projects that meet regulatory requirements while achieving positive ecological results.

Daniel Light is a senior ecologist with over 8 years of consulting and environmental management experience, including the development and implementation of state and federal offsets. Daniel offers first-hand experience of pre-approval offset delivery and post-approval offset management and monitoring throughout a range of scenarios, which enable him to apply key learnings from previous projects to ensure an appropriate strategy that maximises the offset potential within land parcels whilst identifying potential risks that may prevent achieving performance criteria in the future. Daniel provides an important link between offset planning, ecological consulting and on-ground management to ensure consistency and effective collaboration between stakeholders, key to both securing and implementing environmental offsets.

This webinar will run on Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) and will be recorded. A link to the recording will be sent to all registered delegates in the days following the event.

Not an EIANZ member?

Consider joining as a student, associate or full member today! To receive the member rate for the webinar, make sure you apply for membership prior to registering.
Join here →

CPD Points