Developers of East Lake and the new suburb of Bonner could be required to put millions of dollars into a trust fund to finance the upgrade and maintenance of Jerrabomberra Wetlands and Mulligans Flat Woodlands Sanctuary.
Chief Minister Jon Stanhope told The Canberra Times he had been inspired by a recent visit to the London Wetland Centre, where 11 million ($A20 million) from the sale of adjoining land almost 20 years ago was used to build a visitors' centre, restaurant and state-of-the-art observatory, the profits of which are managed by a wildlife trust to maintain the 44ha reserve.
He had sought advice this week from the Land Development Agency on establishing a similar funding scheme for two of Canberra's most ecologically significant reserves, each of which has planned residential and commercial developments on its doorstep.
Although still in the planning stages, it is envisaged the East Lake development, which will back on to the Jerrabomberra Wetlands, will ultimately house up to 9000 people and employ 3000.
The Canberra trust would be managed by a panel of non-government stakeholders such as representatives from the Australian National University, CSIRO, Canberra Ornithologists Group and the Conservation Council.
''I've asked for a detailed investigation of a governance model for both the Jerrabomberra Wetlands and Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve that involves the development of a genuine partnership,'' Mr Stanhope said.
''I am now quite consciously going to pursue the possibility of a trust involving representatives of organisations ... being involved in accepting a management role for places like Jerrabomberra Wetlands and Mulligans Flat.''
He said there were strong similarities between the London and Jerrabomberra wetlands, in terms of their proximity to the city and residential development.
It would be made a condition of sale of the land that the developers contribute to the trust fund as they would reap significant financial benefit from being so close to what could become popular tourist and visitor attractions.
The funds would be used to make both the wetlands and Mulligans Flat into more attractive and user-friendly destinations with a view of making them entirely self-funded.
University of Canberra professor of applied ecology Arthur Georges, who chaired a recent ACT Government-convened round table on the future management of the Jerrabomberra Wetlands, backed the proposal.
''A number of people have put that proposition that it shouldn't be the Government that should carry the load on all this, and that there should be some way of transferring funds from the people who are benefiting from the development to providing an enduring solution for the Jerrabomberra Wetlands,'' he said. Professor Georges is also chairman of the statutory advisory body the ACT Flora and Fauna Committee.
Canberra Ornithologists Group president Chris Davey said he had advocated an East Lake developer-funded trust at the round table in September.
He had hoped for a similar arrangement for the nearby Kingston Foreshore development a few years ago but the opportunity had been missed.
''I would say quite frankly it is the only way to go forward,'' Mr Davey said.