Annual scientific mapping updates

Each year we update vegetation management mapping using the latest and best available science.

You can request a free vegetation map to see if your property is affected by these changes and to ensure you are operating in accordance with vegetation management laws. Before starting any clearing activities we recommend that you call the Veg Hub for the latest vegetation management advice.

Changes to regional ecosystems maps

Grassland ecosystems

For the first time since the Vegetation Management Act 1999 was introduced, we reviewed grassland regional ecosystems to confirm the presence of any woody vegetation and correct structure categories.

Following this review, 18 grassland regional ecosystems are now confirmed as containing woody vegetation and 17 are corrected to a woody grassland structure category. These newly regulated regional ecosystems include:

1.5.12
1.7.3
1.9.1
1.11.13
1.12.5
2.3.32
3.1.7
3.5.29
3.9.8
3.11.19
3.12.30
6.3.14
9.3.25
9.3.26
9.8.13
10.4.8
11.8.10
12.8.27

Most of the increases to the regulated grassland areas are in the Desert Uplands, Einasleigh Uplands and Mulga Lands bioregions.

These changes better protect woody vegetation which is crucial for the health of the environment. The areas can now be managed using vegetation clearing codes.

The changes don't impact any category X areas in certified property maps of assessable vegetation (PMAVs).

Other ecosystems

This year, 9 regional ecosystems are changing to a higher conservation class due to a decrease in the remaining area of remnant vegetation in these ecosystems to below 10,000 hectares. This is mostly due to refinements in mapping the extent of the regional ecosystems to the pre-clear map.

The following regional ecosystems are changing from ‘of concern’ to ‘endangered’:

7.3.29
9.8.3

The following regional ecosystems are changing from ‘least concern’ to ‘of concern’:

9.3.17
9.12.34
10.3.3
10.3.5
10.3.10
10.3.11
10.4.3

Two regional ecosystems are changing to a lower conservation class as the area of remnant vegetation in these ecosystems is now calculated to be more than 30% of the preclear extent. These regional ecosystems are changing from ‘of concern’ to ‘least concern’:

10.7.9
12.11.8

Fourteen regional ecosystems in the desert uplands bioregion will no longer exist as they have been are amalgamated into existing regional ecosystems, they are:

10.3.26
10.4.4
10.4.9
10.3.25
10.7.2
10.9.1
10.9.2
10.9.3
10.9.5
10.9.6
10.9.7
10.9.8
10.10.3
10.10.7

Changes to vegetation management maps

The new maps include the most recent Queensland Herbarium scientific updates to the regulated vegetation management map, regional ecosystems, essential habitat, high value regrowth mapping, wetlands and watercourse and drainage features.

The map updates were released on 22 November 2023 and incorporated PMAVs certified up until October 2023. The vegetation mapping will continue to be updated monthly to incorporate certified PMAVs.

The key changes include:

minor increases in category B (remnant) and C (high value regrowth) areas largely due to use of the latest high-resolution imagery or the increase of regrowth areas that have not been cleared for at least 15 years
minor decrease in category R areas due to an increase in status from targeted remnant mapping in creek areas in the Wet Tropics bioregion
increase to the essential habitat and wetland mapping due to a revision by the Queensland Herbarium.

Last updated: 22 November 2023
Last reviewed: 22 November 2023