New policy to crack down on illegal vegetation damage

Fraser Coast Regional Council is ramping up efforts to combat illegal vegetation damage on Council land with a revised policy that includes drone mapping, CCTV monitoring, community education and increased replanting.

At its meeting today (Wednesday, 25 September 2024), Council approved the revised ‘Illegal Vegetation Damage on Council Controlled Land’ policy and a new assessment and response procedure.

Environment spokesperson Cr Zane O’Keefe said the policy had been revised to make it clearer and strike a balance between education and enforcement.

“We know how important it is to protect our beautiful natural environment for future generations, and this revised policy will help ensure we can more effectively deter and respond to incidents of illegal vegetation damage,” he said.

“Illegal vegetation damage refers to actions such as poisoning, removing or pruning trees without Council approval.

“No one should benefit from the destruction of trees or environmental vandalism on Council land, and these new measures give us more tools to hold offenders accountable and ensure the Fraser Coast continues to thrive as a resilient and environmentally responsible region.”

Key activities to prevent illegal vegetation damage will include, but not be limited to:

• Drone mapping and vegetation surveys along high-risk locations such as coastal foreshores;
• Imagery comparisons to detect illegal clearing; and
• CCTV monitoring of rehabilitated and high-visibility sites;

Education initiatives will target areas where serious or repeat incidents occur, and rehabilitation efforts may include replanting at higher densities.

The new assessment and response procedure will help officers assess the severity of damage, choose appropriate responses, and gather evidence for potential prosecutions.

The revised policy applies to all Council-owned or managed land, including parks, sportsgrounds and nature strips. It will soon be available on Council’s website under ‘Policies’.