There are a range of land management activities you can do, and tools to help you manage native vegetation on your property.
Allowable activities
Find out what clearing activities do and do not need approval.
Pathways under the code
Applying under the Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code 2018
Guides and resources
Information and resources to help you manage native vegetation.
What is land management?
In NSW, the Land Management Framework regulates the clearing of trees and native vegetation on rural land used for farming.
The Framework supports landholders to manage native vegetation while protecting biodiversity.
Find out your options for managing native vegetation including:
- which regulations apply in different land zones.
- land categorisation and the Code
- what approvals you might need
- notification and certification requirements.
- best practice advice and extension.
Routine clearing on rural land
Find out what routine farming and land management practices do not require approval, including sustainable grazing and ecological thinning.
Land management pathways
Advice for landholders seeking to clear native vegetation on rural land for agricultural purposes.
Local Land Services role in Land Management
You can contact Local Land Services Land Management Officers for advice or help to:
- understand the Land Management Framework and how it applies to your property
- understand your options for clearing vegetation including pathways under the Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code 2018 and allowable activities.
- review your notice of intent to clear native vegetation under the Code
- issue a certificate for clearing native vegetation and other land management activities under the Code
- prepare an application to the Native Vegetation Panel.
Regulation of native vegetation management
The Local Land Services Act 2013 and Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 were developed to ensure a balanced approach to rural land management and biodiversity conservation in NSW. They form the 2017 Land Management Framework.
Arrangements under these Acts allow land managers to improve productivity while responding to environmental and social risks.
Key features of these Acts
Ways to assess and manage native vegetation are provided by Local Land Services under the Local Land Services Act 2013.
Ways to manage impacts on biodiversity from rural development are provided by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) under the Biodiversity and Conservation Act 2016.
A State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity Conservation) 2021 for managing impacts on native vegetation in non-rural areas, including applications to the independent NSW Native Vegetation Panel (NVP).
Significant investment has been made to protect high-value native vegetation on private land through pathways with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT).
Purpose of the Land Management Framework
About 43 million hectares of land in NSW is categorised as rural regulated land, which represents about 53% of NSW.
The Land Management Framework supports landowners to manage native vegetation to improve productivity while responding to environmental risks by:
- providing certainty by offering rural landowners long-term planning solutions that deliver balanced growth and value environmental assets
- supporting landowners with advice, new tools and products to help landowners to make the right choice for their farm system. 
Private land conservation
Incentives are available to landowners who set aside portions of their land for environmental protection.
The Biodiversity Conservation Trust helps landowners to secure a financial return by setting up conservation agreements or stewardship sites.
Development
The Biodiversity Offsets Scheme manages and calculates offsets for all types of development that are likely to have a significant impact on biodiversity.
It also establishes biodiversity stewardship agreements, which are voluntary in-perpetuity agreements entered into by landholders, to secure offset sites. 
The Land Management Framework brings together each of the policies and tools that landholders need to balance rural land management and biodiversity.
Native vegetation regulatory map
Identifies rural land that is regulated under the framework.
Local Land Services Act 2013
Outlines allowable activities for routine agriculture, land management and other common practices in rural areas.
The Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code 2018
Supports landholders to manage their land and farming systems, while responding to environmental risks.
State Environmental Planning Policy
Covers land management and impacts on native vegetation in urban and environmental zones.
The Native Vegetation Panel
This independent agency under the Local Land Services Act 2013 has the key function of determining applications to clear native vegetation.
Public register
Some clearing under the Code requires land to be set aside and listed on a public register.
Success stories
On-ground examples of landholders managing their land under the Framework.
News and updates
Contact Local Land Services NSW
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