How to offset a clearance
If you are required to provide a significant environmental benefit (SEB) offset as part of your clearance application, you can choose to do one or a combination of the following:
- establish a new SEB site on land you own or on land under your care and control
- apply to use SEB credit that you have previously established
- apply to have SEB credit assigned from another person or body
- engage an accredited Third Party Provider to find and deliver a SEB on your behalf
- pay into the Native Vegetation Fund if the achievement of an on-ground SEB is not possible.
These options and the steps that follow are explained in more detail below.
Step 1. Choose how you will offset
1. Establish a new SEB site on land that you own or that is under your care and control. For example, you may propose to:
- revegetate or encourage natural regeneration of native vegetation in a particular area
- manage and enhance an existing area of native vegetation by removing and managing threats such as grazing, weeds and pests
- protect an existing area of native vegetation by placing it under a Heritage Agreement or Management Agreement to protect it from future disturbance.
Read more on how to establish a SEB site.
2. Apply to use SEB credit that you have previously established. Approved SEB credit is recorded on the publicly available Native Vegetation Credit Register and you can apply to have it assigned to your clearance application using the form below (Application to Establish SEB Area and Assign Credit).
3. Apply to have SEB credit assigned from another person or body. Landholders with potential SEB credit sites are listed on the Native Vegetation Credit Register. You can contact a landholder with a site that matches your offsetting requirements to negotiate a purchase agreement, or engage a broker to handle the negotiations for you. Find out about the steps involved.
4. Engage an accredited Third Party Provider to locate and establish a SEB site on your behalf. Accredited Third Party Providers are individuals and organisations that have been screened and approved by the Native Vegetation Council to establish and manage SEB sites. You can also engage a broker if you want help setting up the site but want to manage it yourself. View the eligibility criteria, roles and responsibilities of accredited Third Party Providers and brokers.
5. Make a payment into the Native Vegetation Fund. The Native Vegetation Council uses the fund to implement on-ground works to offset the impacts of vegetation clearances.
Step 2. Assess the vegetation
You will need to engage an accredited consultant to calculate the SEB offset area you must provide. The consultant will assess the vegetation to be cleared and will do one of the following:
a) assess the proposed vegetation to be established as a SEB site if you are planning an on-ground offset
b) calculate the SEB credit required if you are planning to use SEB credit already established by you or another person
c) calculate the SEB points required and the amount to be paid into the Native Vegetation Fund.
Step 3. Seek approval
You will need to submit your SEB offset proposal (the accredited consultant’s report) with your clearance application. The Native Vegetation Branch will contact you to discuss your proposal prior to the application being considered by the Native Vegetation Council. We recommend that you submit an application at least ten weeks before you require a decision.
Step 4. Deliver the offset
If you receive notification that your clearance application has been approved, you will be required to deliver your SEB offset prior to any clearance taking place.
If you are establishing the SEB area yourself and your site generates more credit than is required to offset your clearance, you can register the available credit on the Native Vegetation Credit Register. This credit can be retained for future clearance applications or assigned to another person or organisation. Find out more.
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