Management of Native Vegetation Clearing
Report 8 - September 2007
Background
Western Australia (WA) has a huge variety of native vegetation.
It is home to about 12 500 plant species – nearly five per cent
of the world’s plant species. South-west WA has 6 000 plant species,
79 per cent of which occur nowhere else in the world.
Against this diversity has been massive clearing, especially
in the South-west. The Wheatbelt, the main broadacre agricultural region
of WA, retains only seven per cent of its original vegetation.
Clearing of native vegetation in WA is controlled under
the Environmental Protection Act 1986. The legislation is supported
by the Environmental Protection (Clearing of Native Vegetation) Regulations
2004. Native vegetation can only be cleared if a permit is granted.
This examination assessed the management of Native Vegetation
Clearing by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and the
Department of Industry and Resources (DoIR).
What the examination found...
Western Australians can take confidence from the way decisions
about clearing are made. However, until DEC and DoIR undertake appropriate
monitoring and investigations of potential illegal clearing, and compliance
with decisions made on applications, they cannot be sure that the objectives
of the legislation are being met.
Specific findings were:
- A strong and comprehensive system supports the process for granting
native vegetation clearing permits: there are clear principles for assessing
applications, adequate transparency and accountability
- Both DEC and DoIR appropriately assess applications to clear native
vegetation against the principles enshrined in the Act.
- There has been no meaningful testing by DEC or DoIR of whether people
are complying with clearing decisions.
- The amount of illegal clearing in WA is not known. DEC has used satellite
and other techniques to identify potential unauthorised clearing. However,
there has been almost no investigation of these areas.
- There is inconsistent and limited follow-up of complaints across
the regions related to potential illegal clearing. Where follow-up has
been carried out, in general it has involved the least important cases.
Cases more likely to involve serious clearing have mostly remained unresolved.
What the examination recommended...
- DEC in consultation with DoIR should finalise and implement a plan
for testing compliance with clearing decisions. It should be based on
the full range of potential assessment decisions: permits granted with
conditions and without conditions, and refused applications.
- DEC should create a program for investigating potential illegal clearing
identified through satellite imagery and public complaints. DEC should
also report publicly the extent of illegal clearing and its responses
to it.
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