NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
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Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure
What’s this about?
The NSW Government is inviting you to have your say on proposed changes aimed at supporting blue carbon and other ecosystem restoration projects and improving coastal management.
Restoring blue carbon and other ecosystems
Blue carbon ecosystems, such as mangroves and saltmarsh, can act as significant carbon sinks and provide a range of important benefits such as:
- enhancing the resilience of coastlines against the impacts of climate change
- supporting healthy fisheries
- providing for tourism and recreational opportunities.
A new framework for ecosystem restoration projects, including for blue carbon, will broaden the current focus beyond protecting the environment from harm to making it clearer and simpler for public and private landowners to restore damaged or degraded ecosystems.
The proposed amendments align with actions under the NSW Blue Carbon Strategy and NSW Plan for Nature, as well as national and international ecosystem restoration goals.
Coastal management
The coastal management framework plays an important role in coordinating how the coastal zone is managed to support both the environment and the wellbeing of people in NSW. The proposed changes provide clearer guidance on existing provisions, including:
- coastal subdivisions and boundary adjustments
- trimming or removal of dangerous trees
- native vegetation management
- how future wetland movement is considered in development proposals
- controls for coastal protection works.
Additionally, amendments to existing planning provisions for coastal wetlands and littoral rainforests aim to streamline development assessment and the review of minor mapping errors, supported by technical guidance.
The proposed changes are on exhibition through an Explanation of Intended Effect.
Your feedback is valuable and will help inform improvements to the proposals.
Have your say
Have your say by 5pm Monday 1 June 2026.
You can provide feedback in 2 ways.
The webinar will be held Monday 11 May from 11am to 12pm.
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