Wilderlands Receives 2026 ILCN Conservation Innovation Award 

ILCN is delighted to announce that Wilderlands is the recipient of the 2026 ILCN Conservation Innovation Award.

Wilderlands is an Australian environmental startup responsible for developing the Biological Diversity Unit (BDU), one of the world’s first voluntary biodiversity credits. Since launching in 2022, Wilderlands has converted BDU sales into the protection of over 125 acres (51 hectares) of vulnerable Australian habitat on privately owned land. In the process, they have created a unique market-based strategy linked to permanent land protection through conservation covenants that deliver long-term, on-the-ground biodiversity outcomes.

“We’re deeply honoured to receive this recognition from ILCN,” said Ash Knop, CEO and co-founder of Wilderlands. “This award belongs as much to the landholders, Traditional Owners, and partner organisations whose trust makes our work possible as it does to us. We hope it opens doors to new biodiversity projects and partnerships around the world, and we look forward to learning from the ILCN community as much as we hope to contribute to it.”

Wilderlands accepted the award at the 2026 Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA) Conference on Wednesday, October 7, in Nipaluna (Hobart), Australia. Victoria Marles, Chair of ALCA and an ILCN Steering Committee member, presented the award, highlighting Wilderlands’ achievements and alignment with ILCN’s legacy of conservation innovation.

Wilderlands’ work typifies the conservation innovation taking place across Australia, which will take the global stage next year at the ILCN Global Congress in Melbourne.

A Conservation Finance Innovation Rooted in Integrity and Permanence 

The Biological Diversity Unit (BDU) gives businesses, individuals, and other investors across sectors the opportunity to make direct, traceable, and permanent contributions to land protection and stewardship. Every BDU is georeferenced to a specific square meter of land within a strategic private land conservation project. When a BDU is purchased, the proceeds cover the permanent legal protection of its corresponding square-meter plot through a conservation covenant, plus 20 years of active management to maintain and improve biodiversity at the site.

To ensure that BDUs only support conservation actions of high strategic value, all projects must first pass BIOTA, Wilderlands’ proprietary biodiversity integrity assessment comprising 15 ecological and spatial indicators. As an additional measure of integrity, 20 percent of all BDUs generated from each project are retained by Wilderlands as a buffer against unforeseen habitat loss. Finally, independent ecological monitoring occurs yearly as a condition of the legally binding land management plan, with results publicly reported.

Learn more about the design and implementation of the BDU in the Wilderlands Whitepaper, revised in August 2026.

Opening New Funding Pathways for Conservation 

Wilderlands sets itself apart among biodiversity credit suppliers through its delivery of permanent and measurable conservation outcomes, building confidence among buyers that their investments will yield meaningful, lasting impact. This plays an important role in Wilderlands’ success within the growing global voluntary biodiversity market, where it accounts for more than one-third of all sales. 

As countries around the world race to achieve their 30×30 conservation targets under the Global Biodiversity Framework, many are exploring the potential of nature markets to connect diverse investors who value healthy ecosystems with the landowners and practitioners who steward them. In 2023, Australia established the Nature Repair Market as a pathway for private landowners to earn income for conservation projects through the sale of government-backed biodiversity certificates. Wilderlands is actively participating in policy conversations shaping the design and implementation of this voluntary national market. As one of the earliest movers in this space, Wilderlands offers an exemplary case for decision-makers to learn from, within Australia and beyond. 

The Conservation Innovation Award 

The ILCN Conservation Innovation Award was created to recognize landmark innovations in private and civic land conservation that are novel, strategically significant, measurably effective, transferable, and enduring. 

Wilderlands was selected as the 2026 Conservation Innovation Award recipient for: 

• Novelty: The BDU is one of the world’s first voluntary biodiversity credits, and one of few to be tied to a permanent, legally binding conservation agreement. 

• Strategic significance: The BDU introduces a credible and scalable conservation finance mechanism at a crucial juncture for climate and biodiversity goals worldwide. Wilderlands’ BIOTA assessment framework ensures that BDU-funded projects have high strategic conservation value. 

• Measurable effectiveness: Wilderlands has generated $1.8 million of conservation funding, protecting over 125 acres (51 hectares) at high-value sites across Australia. 

• Transferability: The BDU methodology was intentionally designed to be adaptable to contexts outside Australia. Wilderlands is actively exploring opportunities to collaborate in Africa, Asia, and North America. 

• Endurance: Conservation covenants, 20-percent loss buffers, and adaptive management plans ensure that every BDU-issuing project secures permanent land protection while staying responsive to environmental change. 

Making Multiple Cultural and Ecological Outcomes Possible through BDUs 

Wilderlands has prioritized First Peoples partnership throughout its design and implementation of the BDU, resulting in more equitable cultural and ecological outcomes. At Coorong Lakes in South Australia, BDU sales are supporting the permanent return of 200 hectares of native vegetation to the Ngarrindjeri Traditional Owners. In addition to restoring cultural connections at the site, the project protects 85 native bird species and 249 native plant species, including the nationally endangered Metallic Sun-orchid. 

Sharing Lessons and Best Practices Beyond Australia 

The intention of the ILCN Conservation Innovation Award is to support the dissemination, transfer, and adaptation of the recognized innovation to a wider community of practice. Wilderlands is already invested in cross-boundary knowledge exchange, including through its membership in the UN’s Biodiversity Credit Alliance. It is also engaged in active conversations with private and civic landholders in Africa, Asia, and North America to adapt and apply the BDU outside of Australia. We look forward to working with Wilderlands to explore the relevance of its methodology in other regions and geographies.

Lasting Impact 

Wilderlands has intentionally designed its BDU framework to deliver continued impact in the face of ongoing and emerging conservation challenges. These include: 

• Habitat loss caused by wildfires, land-use change, and climate change. BDUs not only permanently protect land from conversion but also mandate long-term ecological management, with flexibility to adapt as environmental conditions change and new best practices emerge. 

• A widening conservation finance gap, caused in part by an overreliance on government spending and under-reliance on the diverse businesses and individuals who hold a stake in resilient ecosystems. Wilderlands offers a pathway to diversify conservation funding streams, growing the funding pot while making it more resilient to economic and political swings. 

• A lack of public awareness and trust in market-based conservation finance strategies. Wilderlands’ emphasis on integrity and inclusion gives businesses, individuals, and communities the confidence to participate as buyers, sellers, and partners. 

ILCN looks forward to supporting Wilderlands in sharing this innovation with colleagues around the globe. Congratulations to Wilderlands for their achievements!