Map categories

The draft Native Vegetation Regulatory map displays several land category types. Find out what these categories mean for you.

The draft Native Vegetation Regulatory map displays the land categories outlined in the existing legislation that has been in place since 2017 (the Local Land Services Act and Local Land Services Regulation).

There are 6 different colours you might see on your map:

Native Vegetation Regulatory map catelgories

The 2 main land categories are shaded blue and yellow.

Category 1 exempt land is land where native vegetation can be cleared without approval from Local Land Services.

Category 2 land is divided into:

  • category 2 regulated land is category 2 land that is not Vulnerable or Sensitive regulated land. You may need authorisation from Local Land Services to clear native vegetation in this category. There are a range of allowable activities which can be carried out without needing authorisation.
  • category 2–vulnerable regulated land is land where clearing of native vegetation may be limited under the Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code 2018, and a limited range of allowable activities are permitted.
  • category 2–sensitive regulated land is land where clearing is not permitted under the Land Management Code (Native Vegetation) Code 2018, and a limited range of allowable activities is permitted.

Excluded land is land where the Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code 2018 and allowable activities do not apply.

Each land category is determined by various criteria as outlined in the Local Land Services Act 2013.

What do the categories mean?

Each land category is determined by various criteria as outlined in the Local Land Services Act and Regulation.

Land categories Criteria
Exempt land (Category 1)
  • Land cleared of native vegetation as at 1 January 1990 or lawfully cleared after 1January 1990 and before 25 August 2017
  • Land containing low conservation value grasslands or groundcover
  • Native vegetation identified as regrowth in a Property Vegetation Plan (PVP) under the repealed Native Vegetation Act 2003 only where the PVP specifies a regrowth date
  • Land bio-certified under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016
Regulated land (Category 2) (not including vulnerable or sensitive land)
  • Land not cleared of native vegetation as at 1 January 1990 or unlawfully cleared of native vegetation after 1 January 1990
  • Land containing native vegetation grown or preserved using public funds
  • Land subject to an expired remedial action to restore or protect the biodiversity values
  • Land in the proximity area of a coastal wetland or littoral rainforest areas of the coastal zone under the Coastal Management Act 2016
  • Land subject to (or previously subject to) a private native forestry plan under either the Forestry Act 2012 or the Native Vegetation Act 2003
  • Land subject to a Private Native Forestry Plan or Private Native Forestry property vegetation plan (PVP) that is in force
  • Land containing medium conservation value grasslands
  • Land containing low conservation grasslands beneath the canopy or drip line of woody vegetation
  • Land is a travelling stock reserve (unless the land is located in the Western Division)
  • The land is otherwise prescribed by the Local Land Services Regulation as category 2–regulated land
Vulnerable regulated land (subcategory of Category 2)
  • Steep (greater than 18 degrees from the horizontal) or highly erodible land.
  • Protected riparian areas
  • Land that is otherwise environmentally sensitive
Sensitive regulated land (subcategory of Category 2)
  • Where the Environment Agency Head reasonably believes it to contain:
    • old growth forest, rainforest, critically endangered ecological communities or critically endangered plants, or core koala habitat
    • high conservation value grasslands
    • land recommended for declaration as areas of outstanding biodiversity value
    • Ramsar wetlands within the meaning of the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
    • land described as Coastal Wetlands or Littoral Rainforest in the coastal zone referred to in the Coastal Management Act 2016
    • land subject to an approved conservation measure that was the basis for other land being biodiversity certified
    • conservation areas under the Southern Mallee Land Use Agreement
    • native vegetation that must be retained under the Plantation and Reafforestation Act 1999
    • land subject to a condition of development consent requiring the land to be set aside for conservation purposes under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
  • Land contained in the following types of agreements:
    • biodiversity stewardship agreements, conservation agreements, and wildlife refuge agreements made under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016
    • conservation agreement made under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974
    • trust agreements made under the Nature Conservation Trust Act 2001
    • conservation areas made under Southern Mallee Landuse Agreements
    • registered property agreements made under the Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997
    • incentive or conservation property vegetation plans made under the Native Vegetation Act 2003 that have not expired
  • Land required to be set aside, offset or retained as a condition of development consent or subject to a remedial direction, including:
    • land required to be set aside under a code compliant certificate made under the Land Management (native vegetation) Code 2018
    • land currently subject to a remedial action to restore or protect biodiversity values
    • land required to be set aside under a Ministerial Order made under the Native Vegetation Act 2003
    • land established as an offset in a property vegetation plan made under the Native Vegetation Act 2003
    • land contains native vegetation that is required to be retained under a plantation authorisation made under the Plantations and Reafforestation Act 1999
    • the land is, by a condition of a development consent or approval under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 notified to the Environment Agency Head, required to be set aside for nature conservation, for re-vegetation of native vegetation or as a native vegetation offset
The Monaro Werriwa Critically Endangered Ecological Communities Advisory Layer
Purple cross-hatching
 In some parts of New South Wales, a purple crosshatch is displayed on the Native Vegetation Regulatory map. This advisory/provisional layer indicates where certain critically endangered ecological communities are likely to occur. This is an advisory map layer only and not a Native Vegetation Regulatory map category.

The function of the Advisory Layer is to alert landholders to the potential for critically endangered ecological communities to occur. Clearing of critically endangered ecological communities is generally not permitted. Local Land Services officers can assist landholders to undertake on-farm assessments and also provide further advice, including information on potential incentive programs.

More information about the Monaro Werriwa critically endangered ecological communities can be found on our Threatened ecological communities webpage and the BioNet Threatened Biodiversity Profiles webpage.

For further advice or approvals contact Local Land Services

Once you have viewed your map, if you require more information about the allowable activities that might be available to you or for approval to clear native vegetation on regulated land please visit the Local Land Services website or call 1300 795 299.

Local Land Services

More information