Property Management

Land Clearing - The controls on land clearing apply to all land in Tasmania, both public and private, but there are some exceptions that do not require landholders to have a forest practices plan to authorise land clearing:

• Small scale clearing (up to 1 ha per property per year) providing landholder consent is given and the land is NOT vulnerable land. Vulnerable land refers to: stream sides and stream side reserves, machinery exclusion zones, land with steep slopes, land within the high and very high soil erodability class, land that consists of or contains a threatened vegetation community or threatened species, land with vulnerable karst soils, or land that contains an area of trees reserved from harvesting or clearing under an expired forest practices plan.
  

• Clearing to provide a reasonable buffer for existing infrastructure.
  

• Clearing of native vegetation regrowth.
  

• Clearing associated with authorised dam works, easements for the construction & maintenance of electricity infrastructure and associated access tracks, construction and maintenance of gas pipelines and public roads.

• Clearing in accordance with a conservation covenant or vegetation management agreement approved by the Forest Practice Authority (FPA).
  

• Clearing for fire management work that is part of a fire management program approved by the FPA.

• Clearing for mining or mineral exploration activities authorised under the Land Use and Planning Approvals Act 1993 ; Or a licence or lease under the Minerals Resources Development Act 1995

Forest Practices Authority

Burning off - during a fire permit period you will require approval to light a fire. Check with your local fire station or council for more details on burning off vegetation on your own property. Farmers need to advise neighbours if they are going to undertake burning off activities.

Fire hazard management - Methods of fire hazard reduction includes prescribed (planned) burns, slashing, mowing, grazing and mechanical removal of fuel. Prescribed fire hazard reduction should only be undertaken in consultation with fire management authorities and the Tasmania Fire Service. More information here.

Feral animals - Feral animals are one of the biggest threats to biodiversity in Tasmania. Feral animals seriously affect agriculture by damaging crops, preying on livestock, competing for pasture and/or degrading the land by causing soil erosion, water turbidity and the spread of weeds. Click here for more information

Agricultural activities that generate noise including bird scarers, frost fans and irrigation pumps - It is not always possible to avoid noise that can affect neighbours in rural areas. The general approach to noise in residential areas is that there are ‘permissible hours of use’ for certain types of equipment. This is not the case for activities for primary industry. Under the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (Tas) Section 53, ‘noise that is emitted from or by a primary industry activity’, certain activities do not constitute a nuisance, within the meaning of the Primary Industries Activities Protection Act 1995 (Tas) if the activity is being carried out properly and not negligently. It is not always possible to avoid noise when carrying out normal agricultural activities. Farmers are encouraged to consider wherever possible how to minimise noise impacts on neighbours. Check with your local Council on its policy relating to noise impacts.

Living with Wildlife - Living on the land is unique and living with wildlife can mean that occasionally landholders can come into conflict with animals such as wallabies and possums. Discover solutions and advice on how to live with wildlife.