2022 NSW Vegetation Clearing Report: Authorised clearing on Category 2 regulated land

Vegetation clearing on Category 2 regulated land reported by authorisation type under Local Land Services Act 2013 and Native Vegetation Act 2003.

Vegetation clearing on Category 2 regulated land is authorised under the Local Land Services Act 2013 (LLS Act) and Native Vegetation Act 2003 (NV Act).

Total clearing under the LLS Act and the NV Act decreased significantly between 2021 and 2022 by 45% and 57% respectively. All clearing under Act approvals decreased in 2022 except clearing under Part 3 of the Land Management Code.

Vegetation clearing authorised under the Local Land Services Act

Under the LLS Act, the approval authorisations fall under Part 5A, Division 5 for clearing native vegetation under the Land Management Code, or Part 5B for private native forestry. The Land Management Code authorises clearing of native vegetation on Category 2 regulated land, provides for establishment and management of set aside areas, and authorises re-categorisation of land.

Clearing under Local Land Services Act approvals decreased between 2021 and 2022 (Figure 7).

See the 'Authorisations under the Local Land Services Act' section below for descriptions.

Figure 6 Authorised clearing between 2018 and 2022 under Part 5A of the Local Land Services Act 2013

Vegetation clearing authorised under the Native Vegetation Act

Clearing under Native Vegetation Act approvals decreased between 2021 and 2022 (Figure 8). The largest areas cleared with approvals were management of invasive native species in accordance with a property vegetation plan or a ministerial order, accounting for 93% of total clearing under the Act.

Figure 7 Authorised clearing between 2018 and 2022 under the Native Vegetation Act 2003

Authorisations under the Local Land Services Act expand

Authorisation	Description
INS Part 2.1	Land Management Code Part 2 Invasive native species, Division 1 – low impact clearing of invasive native species
INS Part 2.2	Land Management Code Part 2 Invasive native species, Division 2 – moderate impact clearing of invasive native species
Pasture Expansion Part 3.1	Land Management Code Part 3 Pasture expansion, Division 1 – uniform thinning of woody native vegetation (notification)
Pasture Expansion Part 3.2	Land Management Code Part 3 Pasture expansion, Division 2 – uniform thinning of woody native vegetation (certification)
Pasture Expansion Part 3.3	Land Management Code Part 3 Pasture expansion, Division 3 – mosaic thinning of woody native vegetation
Continuing use Part 4.1	Land Management Code Part 4 Continuing use, Division 1 – managing woody native regrowth in managed native pastures
Continuing use Part 4.2	Land Management Code Part 4 Continuing use, Division 2 – continuation of land management activities undertaken after 1990
Continuing use Part 4.3	Land Management Code Part 4 Continuing use, Division 3 – continuation of rotational activity undertaken before 1990
Equity Part 5.1	Land Management Code Part 5 Equity, Division 1 – removing native vegetation from paddock tree areas
Equity Part 5. 2	Land Management Code Part 5 Equity, Division 2 – clearing compromised native ground cover
Equity Part 5.3	Land Management Code Part 5 Equity, Division 3 – removing native vegetation from small areas
Equity Part 5.4	Land Management Code Part 5 Equity, Division 4 – removing native vegetation from regulated rural areas
Farm Plan Part 6.1	Land Management Code Part 6 Farm plan, Division 1 – removing native vegetation from paddock tree areas
Farm Plan Part 6.2	Land Management Code Part 6 Farm Plan, Division 2 – removing native vegetation from regulated rural areas
Private native forestry plan	Private native forestry plans under Part 5B of the Local Land Services Act

Authorisations under the Native Vegetation Act expand

Authorisation	Description
Invasive native species, Ministerial Order (MO)	Routine agricultural management activity for the management of invasive native species under an MO
Property vegetation plan (PVP) clause 20	Clearing for conservation or long-term environmental benefit under clause 20 in accordance with a PVP
PVP invasive native species	Management of invasive native species that improves or maintains environmental outcomes under a PVP
PVP clearing	Broadscale clearing that improves or maintains environmental outcomes under a PVP
PVP continuing use	Clearing of regrowth authorised under a PVP
PVP thinning	Ecological thinning of vegetation that improves or maintains environmental outcomes under a PVP
Paddock trees MO	Routine agricultural management activity for the clearing of paddock trees under an MO
Thinning MO	Routine agricultural management activity for the ecological thinning of vegetation under an MO