The emerging market of conservation real estate will be in focus at a free public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Orange next week. Local residents are encouraged to attend the lecture where Nature Conservation Trust of NSW chief executive officer Mr Rob Dunn will explain the work of the Trust, outline how it is helping to protect private properties with high conservation values, and examine the emerging market of conservation real estate. The Nature Conservation Trust is a non-profit organisation that aims to protect rare plants and animals on private land. Many of the state’s unique plant and animal species survive outside National Parks on unprotected private land. However, many of these sites are under increasing threat from factors such as climate change, drought and general neglect. The properties protected by the Trust include small lifestyle blocks, major wilderness properties and large agricultural properties in the Riverina and Central West.