Apply for an assessment of old growth forest and rainforest on your land
Local Land Services works with landholders wanting to conduct private native forestry to help develop a Private Native Forestry Plan. Private Native Forestry Plans include a map indicating old growth forest and rainforest areas, which must be protected and cannot be logged. Landholders who believe the maps do not reflect the current situation on their property may request a review of these areas.
If you are a landholder wishing for a re-assessment of your land, take the following steps.
Step 1: Contact your nearest Private Native Forestry officer
Step 2: Provide evidence to support your request
Evidence should prove that these areas have been disturbed, and may include:
- photographs of logging disturbance
- logging records
- other evidence of disturbance history
Step 3: Local Land Services follows the procedure in the protocols to assess the property
If Local Land Services is satisfied with the evidence, it will follow the procedure in the protocol for the type of forest in dispute. See:
- Protocol for re-evaluating old-growth forest on private property PDF, 303.79 KB
- Protocol for re-evaluating rainforest on private property PDF, 255.74 KB
The reassessment is conducted by specialists from the Office of Environment and Heritage and includes:
- an aerial photographic imaging assessment of the property using the latest available imagery
- field work including cruise sampling and field transects
Step 4: The assessment is recorded in the public register
Step 5: The assessment is finalised
Depending on the results of the assessment, Local Land Services will either provide landholders with:
- an amended map to show the revised areas of rainforest and old growth forest
- leave the map as it is
Local Land Services will send the map to the landholder along with the Private Native Forestry Plan.
Step 6: Decide how to proceed
If you agree with the Local Land Services’ final assessment, you may sign the Private Native Forestry Plan and commence operations.
If you do not agree with the assessment, you may choose to end the process and not conduct private native forestry operations on your land.
Note:
New legislative arrangements have commenced for private native forestry. It should be noted that some references on related publications may now be outdated.