What is native vegetation?

Native vegetation refers to naturally occurring communities of local, native plants. It includes native grasses and ground covers, shrubs and trees. Native vegetation may occur in rural, semi-rural and urban environments and range from bushland, woodland and wetlands or scattered trees or shrubs in paddocks or urban areas.

South Australia's native vegetation is managed under the Native Vegetation Act 1991 (the Act), which aims to effectively manage and conserve native vegetation for our state's future.

Why is it important?

Native vegetation contributes to our State’s basic life support systems and valuable biodiversity. It makes our landscapes more resilient to the effects of natural disasters (eg fire, erosion, drought, storms) and climate change and it ensures the future survival of our unique wildlife and plant species.

Is it a fire risk?

All types of plant growth – introduced or native – may constitute a fire risk. Where it threatens people or property it may need to be managed or even removed. Native vegetation is protected under the Act. However, exemptions exist to ensure some clearance of native vegetation can occur without approvals to protect your property from bushfire.

Where clearance consent is required, a Country Fire Service Regional Prevention Officer, the local council’s District Bushfire Prevention Committee or the Native Vegetation Council can help you through the necessary approval process.

What is clearance?

Clearance is defined as any activity that might damage or destroy native vegetation. This includes burning, poisoning, slashing or cutting down and removing plants, removing branches, ripping out roots and flooding or draining areas of native vegetation.

When clearing native vegetation for fire protection purposes, soil disturbance should be minimised as this can lead to weed growth, adding to fuel loads and increasing fire risk.