Declared areas
A landowner may voluntarily make a request for an area to be declared:
- of high nature conservation value
- vulnerable to land degradation.
Designating land as a declared area can help:
- conserve the area's high nature conservation value
- prevent or minimise land degradation in areas vulnerable to land degradation.
A declared area must deliver on the management outcomes stated in the landowner’s declared area management plan, and achieve the requirements and purpose of the Vegetation Management Act 1999.
Read more information about declared areas, and how to apply for a declaration and create an area management plan.
- Guide to voluntary declarations under the Vegetation Management Act 1999
- Declared area application form
- Declared area management plan template
For further help, contact the VegHub.
Legally securing a declared area
You may need to legally secure an area as part of your requirements for:
- a development approval granted under the Planning Act 2016
- an environmental offset under the Environmental Offsets Act 2014.
If a declared area is not a lawful, suitable or appropriate option in these circumstances, you could consider a covenant under either the Land Title Act 1994 or Land Act 1994. A covenant can help to preserve native animals and plants, and natural or physical features of cultural or scientific significance.
For more information on environmental offsets, contact:
- Department of Environment, Science and Innovation for state environmental offsets under the Environmental Offsets Act 2014
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for Commonwealth environmental offsets under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.