URBAN TREE AND BUSHLAND MANAGEMENT
BUSINESS FOCUS
Lawrie Smith of About Trees is an Ecological Consultant. Business focus is on you, the client. He provides assistance to clients to get their development applications approved by local council, by complying with various environmental laws. Lawrie has been employed in Local Government for three years as a Tree Management Officer, and this has provided valuable experience in assessing projects for legislative compliance. You can feel assured that your project is in good hands. If problems arise, then alternative approaches can be suggested.
BUSINESS PROFILE
Over the last decade or so, the NSW State Government has introduced a number of Environmental Laws that can limit the potential use of a building site. Local Council’s are required to administer these Acts and to consider the relevant legislation when assessing Development Applications. As developments must comply with these regulations, developers or homeowners may be required to provide environmental reports in order to address the following issues.
- ‘Tree Surveys and Management Plans’ under the Environmental, Planning & Assessment Act, (1979)
- ‘Flora & Fauna Surveys and 7 Part Tests’ under the Threatened Species Conservation Act, (1995)
- ‘Asset Protection Zones’ under Planning for Bushfire Protection, (2001)
- ‘Soil Erosion and Sediment Control’ under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act, (1999)
Each of these regulations is limited to a specific environmental outcome and they often conflict with the objective of each other. For example;
- Old declining trees that pose a significant hazard to people or property that should be removed under the Common Law ‘duty of care’ may provide habitat for threatened species listed on the Threatened Species Conservation Act.
- Specific habitat that is required to be retained under the Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995) may need to be cleared to provide an asset protection zone under Planning for Bushfire Protection, (2001)
- Clearing of native vegetation to provide the asset protection zone as specified in Planning for Bushfire Protection may lead to soil and sediment problems on sloping sites.
About Trees provides a comprehensive Arboricultural and Ecological Consultancy Service that can address all these issues, and provide you with a more consistent outcome. Please call us for further information.