Transitional native vegetation regulatory (NVR) map

The transitional NVR map was prepared by Department Planning and Environment under Part 5A of the amended Local Land Services Act 2013 (LLS Act) and supporting regulation.

On the 25th of August 2017 the transitional NVR Map was published under transitional arrangements set out in 60F of the LLS Act.

The current published version of the transitional NVR Map (version 11) was published on 23 March 2022. The transitional NVR Map currently displays category 2 – vulnerable regulated land, category 2 – sensitive regulated land and land that is excluded from the LLS Act. The latest version of the map can be viewed online using the NVR Map Viewer.

The transitional NVR Map has been developed to underpin the new land management framework. The transitional NVR Map essentially tells you where the land management code and allowable activities are either limited or not available.

Understanding the map categories.

Currently, the transitional NVR map viewer displays displays category 2 – vulnerable regulated land, category 2 – sensitive regulated land and land that is excluded from the LLS Act. Mapping for category 1 - exempt land and category 2- regulated land are yet to be published.

Broadly, category 1 - exempt land is land that was cleared of native vegetation as at 1 January 1990, or land that was lawfully cleared between 1 January 1990 and 25 August 2017. Category 2 - regulated land is land that was not cleared as at 1 January 1990, was unlawfully cleared after 1 January 1990, or is a prescribed area with an identified environmental value. Land is mapped to each category on the basis of past clearing or disturbance events, as detected by satellite and aerial imagery, and updated land use data. Prescribed areas with an identified environmental value are mapped as category 2 - regulated land, overriding a category 1 - regulated land designation based on the mapping.

Transitional NVR map – land categories and map the 6 colour code

Category definition

1. Category 1 - exempt land (Blue) Unrestricted management (exempt). Rural lands where clearing of native vegetation is not regulated by Part 5A of the LLS Act 2013.This includes land cleared or significantly disturbed as at 1 January 1990 or lawfully cleared between that date and commencement of Part 5A of the LLS Act 2013. Other legislation may apply to category 1 - exempt land.

2. Category 2 - regulated land (Yellow) Code based management (regulated). Rural lands where clearing is regulated and can be carried out in accordance with Part 5A of the LLS Act 2013 or other legislation. This includes complying with the codes and allowable activities. Land not cleared as at 1 January 1990, land unlawfully cleared since 1 January 1990, and land subject to existing conservation obligations including remedial directions.

3. Category 2 - vulnerable regulated land (Orange) Regulated (vulnerable). Rural land where clearing of native vegetation is more restricted than on other category 2 land. This includes steep and highly erodible lands, riparian land and special category land (as declared).

4. Category 2 - sensitive regulated land (Pink) Regulated (sensitive). Rural land where clearing of native vegetation is more restricted than other category 2 land. This includes lands that are sensitive lands due to factors such as the presence of coastal wetlands, certain rainforests, core koala habitat, high conservation grasslands, critically endangered entities, land subject to conservation or incentive agreements or covenants and others.

5. Category 2 - sensitive and vulnerable regulated lands areas of overlap (Brown) This map class depicts land where category 2 vulnerable regulated land [(Vulnerable) - Orange] and category 2 - sensitive regulated [(Sensitive) - Pink] overlap.

6. Land excluded from the LLS Act - (Grey) Land not regulated by Part 5A of the LLS Act 2013. This land includes urban zones, environmental conservation zones and R5 large lot residential as gazetted under a Local Environment Plan (LEP). It also includes public conservation lands (such as National parks and State Forests) and number of entire councils in the Sydney metro area.

Please refer to the Method Statement for more details https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/-/media/OEH/Corporate-Site/Documents/Animals-and-plants/Biodiversity/native-vegetation-regulatory-map-method-statement-170495.pdf?la=en&hash=7E4AF9410B2B65E1C5B2FFB6218AF502BB6989C3

For more information on the transitional NVR map, updates, version history and contact for enquiries, please visit the transitional NVR Map web page:

https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/biodiversity/native-vegetation-regulatory-map