28 November 2023
Queensland State Government has made annual changes to vegetation management, protected plants and koala habitat mapping - and AgForce is urging landowners to stay informed.
The new mapping, Protected Plants released on 6 September 2023 and Vegetation Management and Koala Habitat mapping released on 22 November 2023 by the Department of Resources and Department of Environment and Science, covers the following:
Vegetation Management Act 1999:
- Regulated Vegetation Management v7.0
- Regional Ecosystem v13.0
- Essential Habitat v12.0
- Wetlands v9.0
- Watercourse 100k v7.0
- Watercourse 25k SEQ v7.0
Nature Conservation Act 1992:
- Protected Plants v10.0
- Koala Habitat Areas v4.0
- Locally Refined Koala Habitat Areas v4.0
Further information can be found at Vegetation management framework improvements | Department of Resources. Main topics covered:
- New regional ecosystem database
- Updates to the legislation and regulation
- Updates to the clearing codes
- Annual scientific mapping updates
AgForce completed some mapping analysis comparing the new mapping with the previous versions. The following demonstrates the changes:
- Regulated Vegetation Mapping:
- Category A – increase of 0.60% (0.1% of total Regulated Vegetation).
- Category B – decrease of 0.03% (80.1% of total Regulated Vegetation).
- Category C – decrease of 0.02% (0.67% of total Regulated Vegetation).
- Category R – decrease of 0.32% (0.29% of total Regulated Vegetation).
- Category X – negligible change (18.9% of total Regulated Vegetation).
- Essential Habitat – increase of 14.5%.
- Wetlands – increase of 11%.
- Koala Mapping (SEQ only):
- Core Habitat – decrease of 6,500ha.
- Locally Refined Koala Habitat – minor decrease of 400ha.
- Protected Plants:
- The number of critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable and near threaten (CEVNT) plants increased to 73 (was 72).
- Changes to the Nature Conservation Act (April 2023) has resulted in a net increase of 7 species incorporated in the version.
- An overall increase of 2.13% (70,462ha) in total area of protected plants.
- A reduction in area of 49,232ha (was in V9, removed from V10).
- New areas of protected plants increased by 119,695ha (not in V9, added to V10).
More information regarding protected plants is available at https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/map-request/flora-survey-trigger/.
It’s important to note that changes to regulated vegetation management mapping do not affect property with an existing Property Map of Assessable Vegetation (PMAV).
To assist members in understanding these mapping changes, AgForce has created new GeoPDF maps for each GVP and Cane member property.
Apart from potential changes to regional ecosystem, essential habitat, wetlands and protected plants mapping, members with a PMAV should look for potential changes to the Regulated Vegetation Mapping since their PMAV was locked in. The image provides an example of this situation. A large white area within an existing PMAV area. Should you consider locking this area in?
Members can sign in to the AgForce website member portal to check their property map details. This will also ensure the new maps can be accessed when available.
Members can also request the new maps from the government’s website, request a vegetation map or property report (which also includes a map for protected plants). The limitation with this service is it’s one request per each Lot on Plan number defining a property.
You can also view new mapping using Queensland Globe.
If you cannot access (sign in) to the member portal or if you have reviewed your new maps and have any questions or issues regarding these changes, please contact your AgForce Regional Manager.