Xstrata Coal is involved in a number of innovative land and biodiversity management and conservation programmes at its operations in New South Wales (NSW). Key initiatives include programmes at its sites at Mount Owen in the Hunter Valley and at Ulan, in the western coalfields. Mount Owen mine is located in the Hunter coalfields northwest of Singleton. The mine is owned and managed by Hunter Valley Coal Corp. Pty Ltd (HVCC), a 100 percent owned subsidiary of Xstrata Coal. Theiss operates the mine under a partnering agreement with HVCC. In December last year, HVCC received approval to extend the Mount Owen mine. Associated with this approval is an extensive biodiversity offset strategy and conservation programme. Combined with the life of the mine rehabilitation programme, it will deliver approximately 1800 ha. of native woodland within the remnant Ravensworth State Forest (RSF) and a new forest area, five times larger than the original woodland community. This will provide the community with an expanded conservation area, with additional benefits for biodiversity conservation.
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