Land clearing fact sheets and reports

For fact sheets on sensitive vegetation and vegetation management go to the Northern Territory Government website.

Land clearing resources

The following are links to relevant resources about land clearing in the Northern Territory (NT):

History of clearing controls in the NT

Native vegetation clearing has been controlled on pastoral land and within the Litchfield Shire since 1992. The NT Government introduced native vegetation clearing controls to the remaining freehold and crown land, outside of the existing planning control areas, in December 2002 through Interim Development Control Order (IDCO) No.12.

Following a two year period of consultation and development the IDCO was replaced with permanent controls under the Planning Act 1999.

Year	Event
1992	Clearing controls applied to the Pastoral Land Act 1992. Pastoral Land Clearing Guidelines introduced.
1992	Clearing controls introduced to the Planning Act 1999 with the "50% rule" introduced in the Litchfield Shire Area Plan – permits required where greater than 50% of a parcel proposed to be cleared.
2002	February - Introduction of the Land Clearing Guidelines for freehold land.
2002	December – clearing controls introduced for unzoned land by Interim Development Control Order 12 – permits required to clear greater than 1 ha of native vegetation under the Planning Act.
2003	November – Clearing moratorium declared in the Daly River region affecting freehold and pastoral leases.
2004	May – "50% rule" changed to "greater than 1 ha" rule in the Litchfield Area Plan for zoned land in Litchfield Shire – permits required where more than 1 ha proposed to be cleared on a parcel.
2004	November – IDCO12 becomes permanent in the NT Planning Scheme affecting unzoned land. The Litchfield Area Plan remains current.
2006	Land Clearing Guidelines for freehold land updated.
2007	February - the NT Planning Scheme consolidatedwith clearing of native vegetation criteria applying to unzoned and zoned land across the NT.
2007	December – Daly River region clearing moratorium extended with an emphasis on water allocation planning.
2008	March – clearing moratorium in the Daly River region formalised by Interim Development Control Order 17.
2010	March – IDCO17 expires.
2010	Freehold and Pastoral Land Clearing Guidelines updated. Freehold Guidelines includes special provisions for the Daly River catchment.

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