Clearing trees and vegetation on private property
You may need Council approval before clearing or cutting trees and vegetation on your property.
Protecting natural areas and wildlife habitats is important to Council and our communities. Preserving biodiversity is essential for supporting our local wildlife and ecosystems. This helps ensure they will be around for future generations to enjoy.
Understanding vegetation clearing
Clearing means damaging or destroying vegetation. This includes:
- ring-barking (cutting bark around a tree)
- topping
- lopping
- poisioning
- burning
- flooding
- draining.
It also includes any activity or action that injures or seriously affects vegetation, such as:
- cutting down or pushing over plants or trees
- damaging roots by compacting soil, excavating, or filling within the vegetation's drip zone.
Removing the understory, thinning native vegetation, or removing dead habitat trees is also clearing.
Know when you need approval
You won’t need Council approval if the vegetation clearing is not assessable under the planning scheme. This is called accepted development.
In most cases, clearing is considered accepted development if your property is not affected by certain zones or overlays and it meets the requirements outlined in Table 1.7.7.1 of the planning scheme.
Self-assessment checklist
Before clearing or cutting any vegetation, you should complete a self-assessment checklist. The checklist will help you determine if your activity needs Council approval.
Complete a self-assessment checklist
Applying for approval
If the checklist shows that your vegetation clearing is assessable, you will need to apply for approval before starting any work. You can submit an operational works application through Council's Online Services.
How to apply:
- Sign in to your Online Services account. If you do not have an account, you will need to create one.
- Select 'Enquiries'.
- Search 'Operational Works' and select 'Start' under Development - Operational Works.
- Under 'Operational Works Components', select 'Vegetation Clearing'.
- Complete all the questions.
If you are unsure if you need approval or need help completing the application, contact Council.
Requirements for protecting native wildlife
To help preserve our city’s biodiversity and support local wildlife, you should avoid clearing vegetation whenever possible, even if it is allowed.
If you do clear vegetation, it must not harm native wildlife. If wildlife is present in the area to be cleared, a licensed spotter catcher should be used to supervise the work.
Tree and vegetation regulations
Council's planning scheme and state legislation regulate clearing and lopping on public and private land. This includes local and national parks, as well as habitats for threatened species. It also covers areas of native vegetation and wildlife corridors. These environmental features and areas fall into two categories:
- Matters of Local Environmental Significance
- Matters of State Environmental Significance.
Matters of Local Environmental Significance (MLES)
MLES are environmental areas important at a local level. They're any vegetation with biodiversity, cultural or heritage value. This includes but is not limited to:
- Habitat trees. Habitat trees are native trees with large canopies or structural hollows. They provide many native animals with places to live, breed, and seek shelter. Even old or dead trees can be a habitat tree as they can still provide important habitat for wildlife.
- Koala habitat trees. A koala habitat tree is a food tree used by koalas. Species common to Moreton Bay include gum, brush box, paperbark, bloodwood and myrtle trees.
- Non-juvenile koala habitat trees. A non-juvenile koala habitat tree offers both food and shelter for koalas. These trees help koalas travel through changed or developed areas.
MLES are managed through Council's planning scheme and environmental policies. Council considers these matters in decisions about land use or development. This protects local environmental areas from degradation.
Tree clearing or lopping without Council approval may be illegal.
Matters of State Environmental Significance (MSES)
MSES are environmental features or areas that have been identified as significant. This may be for biodiversity, ecosystems, water resources, or other ecological values at a state-wide scale. MSES are often established through state legislation, regulations, or planning policies. MSES areas include protected vegetation, wildlife habitats, and koala habitats.
- Category A: Vegetation that has been illegally cleared and must be restored.
- Category B: Native Vegetation that is mostly undisturbed and has not been cleared before.
- Category C: Native vegetation in an area that has not been cleared for at least 15 years.
- Category X: Vegetation that is not mapped as a Category A, Category B or Category C area.
Development or land use in MSES areas typically requires state-level assessment and approval. Certain protections apply to ensure these areas are not harmed.
Learn more in the Environmental areas and corridors planning scheme policy(PDF, 11MB).
How to identify high value areas and koala habitats
You are generally not allowed to clear or lop trees in a koala habitat or priority area without approval. To see if your property is in these areas, request a vegetation management report. The report will also show which categories of vegetation are on your property. You will need to provide the lot and plan number of your property. This can be found using my property lookup.
To see if your property is in a high value area, use Council's interactive overlay mapping. Enter your property's address and check 'Environmental Areas' in the Layer List panel.
You can also access koala habitat mapping through Queensland Globe. This is an interactive map that shows various spatial layers.
Development in koala habitat areas
As more land is developed, we must all take steps to protect the natural areas koalas rely on.
Thoughtful planning and design are key to koala conservation. By keeping important habitat areas intact and managing potential risks during construction, you can help reduce the impact of development on koalas. This makes it easier for koalas to move safely through landscapes and supports their long-term survival and wellbeing.
To learn more about how to reduce impacts during development, read the Koala-sensitive design guideline. It supports compliance with Queensland’s environmental planning policies. It also offers practical solutions for creating koala-friendly landscapes.