When landholders plan to build on a site containing native vegetation, they are required to demonstrate that the proposed work will result in a ‘net gain’ in the quality or extent of native vegetation.
Under Victoria’s Planning and Environment Act landholders must seek a council planning permit to ‘remove, destroy or lop’ native vegetation on sites greater than 0.4 hectares (or when the area is under an environmental overlay). To obtain a planning permit the landholder needs to demonstrate to the council that the loss of native vegetation from the proposed development will be offset by the ‘gain’ from mitigating actions such as protecting similar bushland, revegetation and/or weed control.
An initial assessment of the site’s flora and fauna is used to determine the site’s vegetation quality. Practical Ecology can then suggest ways to avoid and minimise vegetation loss – by far the easiest and cheapest way of fulfilling Net Gain requirements. Where there are unavoidable impacts, such as the need to clear trees, a Net Gain Analysis is performed using the Department of Environment and Sustainability’s (DSE) ‘Victorian Native Vegetation Management Framework’. Practical Ecology then compiles a Net Gain report showing how the losses were calculated and detailing a plan showing how they will be mitigated through actions like weed control, encouraging natural regeneration, revegetation, retaining logs and controlling feral animals. Our reports help clients obtain their planning permits by providing councils and DSE with the detail they need to determine whether the proposed development will result in a ‘net gain’.
Because Practical Ecology has been working in ecological restoration and environmental planning since 1993, we are familiar with councils’ planning permit requirements. Practical Ecology provides councils with the information they need to assess planning permit applications without costly delays.
Practical Ecology were contracted by YVW to assess the impact of a proposed pipeline in Craigieburn and to demonstrate to the local council and DSE how any loss of native vegetation would be ‘offset’.
Using previously identified significant flora species, such as curly sedge and pale-flower cranes-bill, as well as the Ecological Vegetation Classes on the site like Plains Grassy Woodland and Plains Grassland, a Net Gain Analysis was performed to calculate the total loss of vegetation in Habitat Hectares. This result was compared to the ‘net gains’ possible in nearby patches of remnant vegetation or through revegetation. Several ways to achieve the required offsets were then discussed, such as protecting areas of very high conservation significance Plains Grassland.
Practical Ecology’s report concluded that there were enough areas on site for YVW to offset the impact of the pipe, and suggested the specific actions required to satisfy permit conditions.
Map: Offset Management Plan, Craigieburn Pipeline
Practical Ecology were employed to do a Net Gain Analysis for the development of the second stage of the Royal Botanic Garden’s Australian Garden. The garden required clearing some native vegetation, a loss that needed to be offset by improving vegetation elsewhere in order to satisfy the council’s and DSE’s permit conditions.
Drawing on Practical Ecology’s previous flora and fauna surveys, and trying to avoid and minimise any vegetation loss, the area required for expansion was calculated and a Net Gain Analysis was conducted to determine the required offset. A former sand mine on site was then identified as an area that could be rehabilitated to provide these offsets. Six areas around the sand mine were assessed for their potential offset gains. Practical Ecology were then able to suggest a detailed program to obtain the offsets. The program satisfied permit requirements while achieving the Royal Botanic Garden’s goals for the new garden and obtaining the best possible outcome for the environment.
Photo: Prickly Starwort
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