How is risk managed in the native vegetation permitted clearing regulations?The native vegetation permitted clearing regulations are designed to manage risks to Victoria’s biodiversity from the removal of native vegetation. An application for a permit to remove native vegetation is categorised into one of three risk-based pathways; low, moderate or high.

The risk-based pathway determines the application requirements and the decision guidelines applied when assessing the application. This risk-based approach ensures risks to biodiversity are identified early in the application process and applicants’ obligations are proportionate to the biodiversity impacts of their proposal to remove native vegetation.

How is risk determined? The risk to biodiversity of a proposal to remove native vegetation is based on whether the removal could significantly impact on habitat for Victoria’s rare or threatened species. This is determined by assessing the proportional impact of the proposed removal of native vegetation on rare or threatened species habitat. Proportional impact is a measure of the relative importance of the species’ habitat to be removed in relation to the total remaining habitat for that species.

How is the risk-based pathway determined? The extent and the location risk of the proposal to remove native vegetation are combined to determine the risk-based pathway as detailed in Table 1.

Extent is the area of a remnant patch or the number of scattered trees to be removed. Location risk is determined by the location risk category of the native vegetation to be removed on the Native vegetation location risk map. If the proposed native vegetation removal falls over two location risk categories, then the higher location risk category is used. For example, if part of the native vegetation removal is in Location A and part in Location C, Location C is used.

Table 1 Risk-based pathway matrix

Location A Location B Location CExtent – remnant patch< 0.5 hectares Low Low High≥ 0.5 hectares and < 1 hectare Low Moderate High

≥ 1 hectare Moderate High HighExtent – scattered trees< 15 scattered trees Low Moderate High

≥ 15 scattered trees Moderate High High

See Permitted clearing of native vegetation – Biodiversity assessment guidelines for more details about how the risk-based pathways are determined.

What does the Native vegetation location risk map represent? The Native vegetation location risk map divides Victoria into three location risk categories (Location A, Location B and Location C). The category of a location is determined on the following basis: where the removal of less than 0.5 hectares of native

vegetation at a particular location could have a significant impact on a rare or threatened species habitat, this location is categorised as Location C (orange).

where the removal of greater than or equal to 0.5 hectares but less than 1 hectare of native vegetation at a particular location could have a significant impact on a rare or threatened species habitat this location is categorised as Location B (purple).

where the removal of greater than or equal to 1 hectare of native vegetation at a particular location could have a significant impact on a rare or threatened species habitat this location is categorised as Location A (blue).

Permit to remove native vegetation – Risk-based pathwaysFact sheet

All areas of the state not mapped as rare or threatened species habitat are also categorised as Location A (blue). This is to ensure that all locations in Victoria have a location risk category if native vegetation is proposed to be removed there.

When should the Native vegetation location risk map be used?The Native vegetation location risk map has been developed solely for the purpose of determining the risk-based pathway of an application for a permit to remove native vegetation. It is not a map of the biodiversity value or conservation significance of native vegetation across Victoria. The Native vegetation location risk map has not been designed for use in undertaking strategic planning to protect and manage native vegetation for biodiversity. Other mapped information provided by DEPI can assist in strategic planning for biodiversity.

How has the Native vegetation location risk map been created?The Native vegetation location risk map has been created by considering the impact of the removal of native vegetation on habitat for Victoria’s rare or threatened species.

Habitats for rare or threatened species are classified into two groups: dispersed habitats and highly localised habitats. Highly localised habitats are very limited in extent (less than 2,000 hectares in area) and typically also highly restricted geographically. Dispersed habitats are more widespread.

The rare or threatened species listed in the Department of Environment and Primary Industries’ Threatened Species Advisory Lists are considered in the creation of the Native vegetation location risk map. Species’ habitats that are not directly impacted by native vegetation removal are not considered, for example marine species.

Habitat importance maps have been created for these relevant rare or threatened species. Each Habitat importance map represents suitable habitat for a specific rare or threatened species. For species with dispersed habitat, the habitat is ranked and given a score for its importance for the species. All locations within a highly localised habitat are considered of equal, and high importance.

For further detail about how the habitat importance maps were developed see the Biodiversity information tools used in Victoria’s native vegetation permitted clearing regulations fact sheet. See the List of habitat importance maps used in the permitted clearing regulations version 1.0 for a list of all species that have habitat importance maps and the details of these maps.

The Native vegetation location risk map uses the habitat importance maps to consider rare or threatened species habitats at each location in Victoria. At each location the smallest area of native vegetation removal that would have a significant proportional impact on one or more species’ habitat is calculated. This is calculated by considering the size, relative importance and condition of a species habitat in a location relative to the remaining habitat for that species across Victoria.

The impact of the removal of native vegetation on a species’ habitat is considered significant when it represents more than 0.005 per cent of the remaining habitat for that species. The smallest area of native vegetation removal that would have a significant impact on one or more habitat at each location is used to assign a location risk category to the location. Therefore if the removal of less than 0.5 hectares in a location would have a significant impact on any particular species’ habitat then this area is categorised as Location C.

Note that for dispersed species habitats, the combination of the habitat importance score and native vegetation condition, results in variation in the proportional impact of native vegetation removal across their mapped habitat. As a result each species habitat may occur across more than one location risk category.

For some species with highly localised habitats, there are too few records to develop a reliable habitat model. In these cases, known site observations and buffers are used to create the habitat importance map. Due to their limited extent all areas of highly localised habitats are in Location C. See Table 2 for more detail about the contents of each location risk category.

Table 2 Contents of location risk category Location risk category

Contents

Location C

All habitat importance maps for species with highly localised habitat.Locations where the removal of less than 0.5 hectares of native vegetation could have a significant impact on a dispersed rare or threatened species, including: locations of highest importance for all

dispersed species that have less than 10,000 hectares of suitable habitat remaining across Victoria.

locations of highest importance for some dispersed species that have greater than 10,000 hectares of suitable habitat remaining across Victoria.

Location B

Locations where the removal of less than 1 hectare, but greater than or equal to 0.5 hectares, of native vegetation could have a significant impact on a dispersed species, including: locations of secondary importance for most

dispersed species that have less than 10,000 hectares of suitable habitat remaining across Victoria.

locations of highest importance for some dispersed species that have habitat greater than 10,000 hectares and less than 25,000 hectares of suitable habitat remaining across Victoria.

Location A

Locations where the removal of native vegetation needs to be greater than 1 hectare before the removal is likely to have a significant impact on any rare or threatened species, including: all locations for dispersed species that are not

in Location B or Location C. all other locations across Victoria.

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Will the Native vegetation location risk map be updated?The Native vegetation location risk map will be updated periodically to account for new data, improved analytical methods and known impacts. The current version of the Native vegetation location risk map, version 2, was released in September 2013 in preparation for the commencement of the new regulations. The next update will occur in 2014.

Where can I get further information?Further information and the documents and maps referenced in this fact sheet can be found at: www.depi.vic.gov.au/nativevegetation

Published by the Victorian Government Department of Environment and Primary Industries Melbourne, December 2013.

© The State of Victoria Department of Environment and Primary IndustriesMelbourne 2013.

This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.

ISBN 978-1-74326-665-6 (pdf)

AccessibilityIf you would like to receive this publication in an alternative format,please telephone DEPI Customer Service Centre 136 186, emailcustomer.service@depi.vic.gov.au (or relevant address), via the NationalRelay Service on 133 677 www.relayservice.com.au This document isalso available on the internet at www.depi.vic.gov.au

DisclaimerThis publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and itsemployees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kindor is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaimsall liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.

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