New consultation underway - Kangaroo Island Walking Trail Accommodation

The Australian Walking Company has submitted an application under Native Vegetation Regulation 12 (33) new dwelling or building, for the clearance of 1.715 ha of native vegetation on Kangaroo Island for the construction and establishment of accommodation with associated walking trails, vehicle access tracks and CFS bushfire safety requirements.

The public are invited to make written submissions to the Native Vegetation Council (NVC) for consideration by 5:00 pm on 11 April 2019.

Find out more here

Update to the Interim Guidelines for the Management of Roadside Native Vegetation

Amendments to the Interim Guidelines for the Management of Roadside Native Vegetation have recently been endorsed by the NVC based on more than 60 comments received through the public consultation period.

The feedback received led to a number of changes that provide greater clarity and understanding of the implications the Guidelines have on Local Council and DPTI. Although the amendments have now been implemented, local council will still have an opportunity to make further comment up to 1 July 2019.

The changes included:
- Further information on the importance of native vegetation within the roadsides.
-  Ensuring alternatives have been considered prior to vegetation clearance.
-  Providing multiple examples of the road definitions for greater clarity.
-  Clarifying that clearance can only occur if the vegetation is considered regrowth from previous lawful clearance associated with the road construction and maintenance.
- Removing the ability to remove large trees leaning into the carriageway from its edge, regardless of age without NVC approval and only permitting the removal of branches encroaching into the primary envelope.
- Including guardrails as a part of the secondary envelope and clarifying that clearance is restricted to only what was cleared upon its installation.
- Requiring better evidence on whether vegetation is less than the 20 year timeframe on regrowth.
- Requiring a higher standard of assessment when it comes to clearance within the verge between the 2-3 metre zone.
- Requiring better record keeping for auditing purposes.
- Including compliance actions that will be taken in the event of a breach i.e. restricting future clearance under the guidelines to less than 5 years only, in addition to the matter being forwarded onto the Department for Environment and Water’s Compliance Unit.
- Providing greater clarity on verge clearance areas through georeferenced photographic examples.

The updated guidelines are available here.

New tree management guidelines for local government

The NVC have approved new guidelines to assist local government manage native vegetation.

Following two months of public consultation, the Guidelines for Local Government Tree Management has been approved by the NVC.

These guidelines have been developed by the NVC in conjunction with local government representatives to help local councils better manage trees on council owned and managed land in accordance with the Native Vegetation Regulations 2017. This may include trees that require veteran tree management or trees that may pose a potential risk due to a combination of poor health and poor structure.

Find out more here.