Clearing ban extended for three months
June 17, 2009
The Queensland Government has extended the moratorium period on clearing endangered regrowth vegetation by three months.
The moratorium period preventing the clearing of particular endangered regrowth and riparian vegetation across the State, which began on April 8 and was set to end on July 7, has been extended until October 7.
The Vegetation Management (Regrowth Clearing Moratorium) Act 2009 legislates against the clearing of more than one million hectares of land, including mapped endangered regrowth vegetation, in rural areas, and all native vegetation within 50 metres of a mapped watercourse in priority reef catchments of the Mackay/Whitsundays, Wet Tropics and Burdekin.
Law firm Hopgood Ganim says the moratorium has been extended to allow the Government more time to analyse the economic and environmental impact measures that may need to be implemented at the end of the moratorium period.
The moratorium cannot be extended further under the Act as it stands.
"We understand that the Department of Environment and Resource Management is working towards having the final regulatory provisions in place by 7 October 2009," the firm says.
"Particular attention is being paid to the appropriate mechanism to address the clearing of endangered regrowth where it is for an urban purpose in an urban area.
"We recommend that property owners identify the impact of the moratorium on their property as soon as possible."
Land owners can visit the Department’s website to create a map showing the areas affected by the moratorium.
To read Hopgood Ganim’s explanation of the ramifications and consequences of the Act, click here.