'PMAV - Do landholders need to 'lock in' with a PMAV?
What happens now that Labor has bought back HVR and other restrictions on land clearing Queensland?
I made the following prediction a couple of years ago in regard to the potential for Labor to reinstate the high value regrowth clearing restrictions that the Campbell Newman government kicked out then was voted down in in the new and very naive Palaszczuk parliament after a very surprised win: 'There's an old saying "You can take a horse to water but you can't make him drink" and it seems to apply to landholders and applying for a PMAV on their land in Queensland. The application fee is an insignificant amount compared to what it might cost in not having a PMAV but too many landholders still don't get it. And they'll be the first to whinge when (it's not a matter of if) the government revisits the high-value regrowth restrictions that were voted down in 2016.'
I don't have to say 'told you so', the result was pretty obvious. And the whingeing after the legislation was passed was fairly obvious too. If everyone on the land had a PMAV there would have been no complaints because the new legislation wouldn't have meant a lot. So why didn't landholders lock in their clearing? I have no idea. Perhaps they just wanted to feel aggrieved. Big question, 'Is it too late to do a lock-in PMAV?' Answer, 'Never too late.'
You don't need a consultant or specialised knowledge to lock in a PMAV. But if you are unsure, there are consultants who can help and your local DNRM officer is only too happy to talk about it with you.
I would also suggest that, any landholders who have previously missed the opportunity, get cracking and lock in your currently mapped white country with a Lock In PMAV. This sort of PMAV is the cheapest form of insurance against 1: having advanced regrowth remapped as remnant. This could happen at any time if you haven't locked in your clearing and vegetation is approaching cover and height for remnant. Be aware that regrowth is no longer based on a fixed date, it's based on 15 years since last cleared . 2: future legislation that might affect your ability to clear regrowth vegetation. It is a very good bet that the government will be under pressure from environmental groups to further clamp down on what can and can't be cleared in the future.
Good managers have used the PMAV process to protect their clearing assets. However, too many landholders still need to catch up! Do it today!
I don't have to say 'told you so', the result was pretty obvious. And the whingeing after the legislation was passed was fairly obvious too. If everyone on the land had a PMAV there would have been no complaints because the new legislation wouldn't have meant a lot. So why didn't landholders lock in their clearing? I have no idea. Perhaps they just wanted to feel aggrieved. Big question, 'Is it too late to do a lock-in PMAV?' Answer, 'Never too late.'
You don't need a consultant or specialised knowledge to lock in a PMAV. But if you are unsure, there are consultants who can help and your local DNRM officer is only too happy to talk about it with you.
I would also suggest that, any landholders who have previously missed the opportunity, get cracking and lock in your currently mapped white country with a Lock In PMAV. This sort of PMAV is the cheapest form of insurance against 1: having advanced regrowth remapped as remnant. This could happen at any time if you haven't locked in your clearing and vegetation is approaching cover and height for remnant. Be aware that regrowth is no longer based on a fixed date, it's based on 15 years since last cleared . 2: future legislation that might affect your ability to clear regrowth vegetation. It is a very good bet that the government will be under pressure from environmental groups to further clamp down on what can and can't be cleared in the future.
Good managers have used the PMAV process to protect their clearing assets. However, too many landholders still need to catch up! Do it today!
Is a PMAV the final answer?
Landholders need to be wary of thinking that a Lock It In PMAV will solve all their vegetation management problems and abrogate their clearing actions from prosecution. The PMAV mechanism only relates to the Queensland Vegetation Management Act and is overridden when it comes to matters of Federal jurisdiction. Under the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act land-clearing actions may be deemed illegal for a number of threatened ecological communities and habitat for a number of threatened species.
Similarly, landholders are not exempt from the Queensland Nature Conservation Act which protects a number of threatened species and Protected Species Trigger Mapping exists across large areas of the state with restrictions on clearing regardless of the status of vegetation under the VMA.
Do your homework if you are thinking of clearing and, if necessary, engage a vegetation management consultant. It may save you a lot of money and heartache.
Similarly, landholders are not exempt from the Queensland Nature Conservation Act which protects a number of threatened species and Protected Species Trigger Mapping exists across large areas of the state with restrictions on clearing regardless of the status of vegetation under the VMA.
Do your homework if you are thinking of clearing and, if necessary, engage a vegetation management consultant. It may save you a lot of money and heartache.
