SERVICING QUEENSLAND
Seek expert advice before clearing vegetation and let us assist you in navigating the protected plant survey process. We can help you determine if your property is in a high-risk area under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and guide you through the steps needed for responsible planned clearing.
Are protected plants present within your planned clearing area?
If your project is located within a designated high-risk area on the Flora Survey Trigger Map, a protected plant survey (PPS) will be necessary. The Queensland Government adopts a risk-based strategy to regulate the clearing of protected plants under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, focusing on activities that could significantly impact plant species at risk of extinction. When non-exempt clearing is proposed in these high-risk zones, a PPS is required to assess whether protected plants are present, and therefore a clearing permit is needed.
Our qualified botanists have extensive experience conducting protected plant surveys throughout Queensland, having provided cost-effective management for over 50 threatened species. We can help minimise significant impacts on protected plants while ensuring that your planned activities run smoothly, leading to the best possible outcomes for your project.
Need support with threatened flora on your project?
Who can we help
- Government landholders
- Private landholders
If you are planning to clear vegetation within a protected pant trigger area, we can help you. Regardless of the size of your property, we can help mitigate your environmental impact.
We help our clients navigate the PPS process and provide expert advice to help facilitate planned vegetation clearing.
Where do we provide this service?
The protected plant survey for threatened flora and high-risk areas is only relevant to the state of Queensland. As 4 Elements Consulting is a Far North Queensland-based company, our work is focused on the Wet Tropics, Einasleigh Uplands and Cape York Peninsula bioregions. However, our new Brisbane team has extensive experience conducting these surveys in the Southeast Queensland, Central Queensland Coast and Brigalow Belt bioregions.
We’ve got you covered!
The Process
Our team is dedicated to making the whole process easy for our clients and you are kept advised of the progress every step of the way.
1. Review Your Property For Risk
- First, we determine whether your property is located within a high-risk clearing area under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 prior to clearing.
- Then, we consult with the property owner about the location and buffer area of the PPS required to map out any protected plants present.
- Finally, we determine if there are exemptions under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 that would allow clearing to proceed without conducting a protected plant survey.
2. Conduct field Assessment
If it is determined that a threatened flora survey is required, then a standardised survey is undertaken by a qualified botanist, as per the Flora Survey Guidelines – Protected Plants. This process will determine if any protected plants are present within the planned works area. Our PPS surveys are intensive and cover the entirety of the works area and buffer.
3. Create and submit report
There are two outcomes for this part of the process, depending on whether we find protected plants on your property.
- If protected plants are present: a combined PPS report and IMP will be submitted to the Department of Environment, Science, and Innovation. If approved, a protected plant clearing permit will be issued.
- If protected plants are not present: a PPS report and exempt clearing notification form will be submitted to the department instead. If approved, an exemption will be issued.
If your project requires vegetation clearing within a high-risk area for protected plants, we’re here to offer expert advice and ensure the process runs smoothly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Protected Plant Survey?
A protected plant survey (PPS) is a legislative instrument under the Qld Nature Conservation Act 1992 designed to manage the loss of protected flora species ie. those listed as Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered. It works by applying a broad mapping system whereby areas deemed to be a high risk of containing threatened plants are marked in green. Any green area is determined to be a “protected plants trigger area”. For any vegetation disturbance planned within a protected plant trigger area it is a legal requirement to undertake a protected plant survey (PPS). Exemptions granted for vegetation clearing under the Vegetation Management Act 1999 are likely to still require a PPS survey to be undertaken. There are exemptions for particular maintenance activities and 4 Elements can provide clear advice on how these may be applied to your project.
Who do you provide PPS for?
We provide this service to local governments undertaking infrastructure works and private landowners
Why do I need a PPS?
If there is a need to clear vegetation within a flora trigger area (green shading on the regulated vegetation property report) then a PPS is likely to be required. There are exemptions listed under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 that permit the clearing of vegetation for routine maintenance activities.
4 Elements Consulting can provide you with information on whether your planned works is within a protected plant trigger area and determine whether or not exemptions apply in your case.
What protected plant services can 4 Elements help with?
- Protected plant surveys (PPS)
- Threatened flora management plans (also known as the PPS report)
- Impact management plans (IMPs) – detail the required avoidance, mitigation or offset actions needed to address the impacts on identified threatened plants
- Protected plant clearing permits – issued by the Queensland Government in association with IMP and long-term avoidance, mitigation or offset conditions
- Advice on the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 in relation to the clearing of protected plants
- Threatened flora translocation management plans – for cases where translocation is deemed a viable option by the project ecologist
What locations do you offer this service?
The protected plant survey for threatened flora and high-risk areas is only relevant to the state of Queensland. As 4 Elements Consulting is a Far North Queensland-based company, our work is focused on the Wet Tropics, Einasleigh Uplands and Cape York Peninsula bioregions. However, our new Brisbane team has extensive experience conducting these surveys in the Southeast Queensland, Central Queensland Coast and Brigalow Belt bioregions. We’ve got you covered!
Is my proposed clearing exempt?
Whilst there are some exemptions granted for clearing under the Queensland Vegetation Management Act 1999 for certain circumstances, this exemption does not extend to mapped high-risk zones which are listed under separate legislation (Nature Conservation Act 1992). Some exemptions include maintenance activities for existing infrastructure for the Department of Transport and Main Roads and some other property holders, as well as burning for hazard reduction. At 4 Elements, we can provide clear advice on how to successfully and lawfully navigate protected plant constraints on your project.
What is the timeframe?
The field work component will generally be completed within a day or two for small sites (< 5 ha). However, on larger properties (> 5 ha), several days or weeks may be required to satisfy the required search effort as per the guidelines. The reporting component is generally returned to the client within a two or three-week turnaround period for review.
Note, the time required to complete a threatened flora survey is dependent on various factors, such as the size of the proposed clearing area, the number of vegetation types, and the complexity of the vegetation structure.
What qualifications are needed to undertake a PPS to property owners?
It is a requirement of the Qld Department of Environment and Science that a protected plant survey be undertaken by a person deemed to be suitably qualified. Evidence of this qualification must be submitted with each Protected Plant Survey report.
Undertaking protected plant surveys often requires a high level of knowledge in plant ecology and taxonomy. Threatened plants are often difficult to find and may only be detectable at certain times of the year. All botanists at 4 Elements Consulting are suitably qualified to undertake Protected Plant Surveys so the process can be completed correctly the first time.
Not all Protected Plant Surveys locate protected plants. If your project is mapped as being within the trigger area you may not necessarily have protected plants that require management. An experienced and qualified botanist can undertake a time-efficient survey to determine this and submit a report to the department that no protected plants were detected
What do I need to prepare/provide to start this service?
Generally, the only requirement of the landowner is that site access is available to the botanist conducting the survey and that any neighbouring landholders with properties within 100m of the project (i.e. within the buffer area) are informed about the survey, as entry to their properties may also be required. Everything else is arranged by us.
Choose an environmental company with the right qualifications
Any person undertaking a protected plant survey must be considered a suitably qualified person under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 flora survey guidelines. This requires a professional qualification or formal training within Queensland plant identification and a minimum of five years’ experience undertaking surveys for threatened flora species.
All botanists at 4 Elements Consulting are approved by the Queensland Department of Environment, Science, and Innovation to undertake protected plant surveys within Queensland.
Are there specific plans or assessments required for this service?
- Protected plant surveys (PPS)
- Threatened flora management plans (also known as the PPS report)
- Impact management plans (IMPs) – detail the required avoidance, mitigation or offset actions needed to address the impacts on identified threatened plants
- Protected plant clearing permits – issued by the Queensland Government in association with IMP and long-term avoidance, mitigation or offset conditions
- Advice on the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992 in relation to the clearing of protected plants
- Threatened flora translocation management plans – for cases where translocation is deemed a viable option by the project ecologist
Key relevant project experience
Past completed Protected Plant Survey projects:
- Daintree River Ferry Upgrade – Located five listed threatened species within a 100m buffer of the proposed alignment upgrade to both sides of the Daintree River vehicle approach.
- Navigation Drive Subdivision – Undertook field survey of the vulnerable ant plant (Myrmecodia beccarii). Negotiated an acceptable outcome with Queensland Department of Environment, Science, and Innovation, which included the translocation of eight individuals from the works area to a designated covenant area.
- Paverock Quarry Stage 2 Upgrade – Located two threatened species within 100m of the project alignment. These individuals did not require clearing. An impact management plan outlined how these individuals would be protected during on-site works.
- Barron River Bridge Investigation Survey – A survey across a 100m buffer on both approaches of the Barron River bridge identified two protected plants listed as endangered under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
Don't just take our word for it
Why Choose 4 Elements Consulting
At 4 Elements, we have two expert botanists who help manage a team of nearly 20 ecologists with extensive experience in threatened plant identification and management. We use our scientific and local knowledge, as well as our full understanding of the legislation, to help you manage these constraints.
Get your property professionally reviewed
When choosing us to assess your property we can guarantee complete legislative compliance when clearing vegetation on your property. To get in touch with us for a consultation, click the button below to fill out our form and we’ll contact you soon.
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