Managing vegetation clearing - 2004Home | Biodiversity |Conserving Biodiversity | Managing Vegetation Clearing | 2004
What does the Data tell us for 2000/2004Clearing of native vegetation continues to be one of the greatest threats to the maintenance of biodiversity in the Shoalhaven. Vegetation clearing is required throughout the Shoalhaven to accommodate for development and as such Shoalhaven City Council has an important role to play in ensuring that biodiversity is maintained whilst providing land for development. Council does this through individual property assessments associated with Development Applications and through preparing studies and planning instruments such as the Jervis Bay Settlement Strategy and the Shoalhaven Growth Management Strategy which aim to identify land that may have potential for development, environmental purposes and to ensure development is ecologically sustainable. Planning instruments are developed at a number of government levels. Internationally, governments have agreed to implement world-wide strategies, accords and treaties to protect vegetation communities, biodiversity and flora and fauna e.g. Biodiversity Convention, RAMSAR – protection of internationally recognised wetlands. At a national level the Federal Government has developed and implemented strategies and agreements e.g. National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia’s Biodiversity, Ecologically Sustainable Development Strategy and National Forest Policy Statement. It is the planning instruments developed by State and Local Governments, which have the greatest impact of vegetation management in the Shoalhaven. These instruments are listed below. Table 61 - Vegetation Management Strategies
The clearing of vegetation in the Shoalhaven is controlled by a number of legislative instruments. Many of these instruments and acts have been in force since the last State of Environment Report (see Managing Vegetation Clearing 2000 indicator). Since 1999/2000, some of the key acts have undergone significant changes including the native Vegetation Conservation Act and the Threatened Species Conservation Act. These changes are as follows: Native Vegetation Act, 2003 The Native Vegetation Act (NV Act) 2003 was assented to 11th December 2003, but is not yet in force. The NV Act will replace the Native Vegetation Conservation Act (NVC Act), 1997. The new Act has been passed by the NSW parliament, but before it can be implemented the supporting regulations need to be developed. Draft regulations have recently been released. Once agreement on the new regulations is reached, the new Act will take effect. This Act controls the clearing of indigenous vegetation and is the responsibility of DIPNR. The Act defines clearing as:
The new legislation is aimed at delivering a more streamlined and workable approach to native vegetation management in NSW. It is envisaged that the new legislation will aid in the prevention of broadscale clearing. The Act is due to come into force in early 2005. Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 The Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 (TSC Act) has recently been reviewed with major changes proposed especially in the way that Council’s deal with Threatened Species. The overall aim of the Act remains the same in ensuring the effective conservation of threatened species across NSW. Consent is still required to kill, harm or pick threatened species and or removing their habitat.
Home | Biodiversity |Conserving Biodiversity | Managing Vegetation Clearing | 2004
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