The Native Vegetation Council has adopted new policies and guidelines and is consulting on further guidelines as part of the recent changes to the Native Vegetation Regulations 2017 which came into effect on 1 July.
New offsetting policy and guidelines
The NVC has produced a new policy about and new guidelines for calculating Significant Environmental Benefit used under the Act to offset certain clearance. The new policy and guidelines are available here.
Draft Rangelands Assessment Manual
The NVC has released a new Rangelands Assessment Manual as a draft for consultation (closing on 28 July). The manual is to be used for assessing native vegetation clearance applications, SEB offsets and Heritage Agreements in the arid rangelands of SA, particularly in the SA Arid Lands and Alinytjara Wilurara NRM Board Areas. The draft manual is available here.
Draft Interim Guidelines for SEB for scattered trees and Interim Guideline for clearance associated with the maintenance of existing agriculture, forestry or farming
The NVC is also consulting on two other draft guidelines. An interim Guideline for Maintenance of Existing Agriculture, Forestry or Farming made under Regulation 11 (and 24) of the Native Vegetation Regulations 2017 and deals with clearance of land which has been used for farming or forestry over the previous 10 years.
An Interim Guideline for a Significant Environmental Benefit for the Clearance of Scattered Trees (to replace the longstanding guideline) has also been published for consultation.
The interim Guidelines will be on public consultation until 7 September 2017 before a final version is prepared.
Further details are available here.
For assistance preparing a submission or for further information, please contact Jamie Botten on 8212 9777.