Vegetation Management Plan

What do we include in a Vegetation Management Plan?

Vegetation Management Plans are required to help protect and manage crucial native vegetation and other fauna in a proposed development site. A qualified professional like East Coast Ecology must produce the Vegetation Management Plan.

Our Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) reports are strategically designed to be easy to read and easy to interpret by both you and the consent authority (usually Council) who will be assessing your Development Application (DA).

INTRODUCTION

 The introduction of Vegetation Management Plan is required to include the following information:

• Identification and description of the site, including Lot, DP, and street address; and

• Identification and description of proposed management zones to be included in the VMP.

MANAGEMENT ZONES

East Coast Ecology will include a description and detailed map of each proposed management zone, including existing bushland conditions and significant environmental features. Within this description, this sub-heading will also involve:

• Clear and achievable objectives for each zone

• Detailed management actions are proposed to achieve each objective.

• Identification of any retained native vegetation on the map.

MANAGEMENT ACTIONS

The Vegetation Management Plan must specify which management actions will be undertaken. Such examples of management actions include:

• Installing a nest box

• Pre-clearing and clearing procedures

• Weed removal

• Replanting native vegetation

• Fencing and tree protection

• Erosion and sedimentation controls

• Seed collection

• Habitat salvage and habitat creation

WORK SCHEDULE/GANTT CHART

A GANNT chart will be needed in the Vegetation Management plan as it will outline the timing and responsibility for the delivery of management actions.

The Vegetation Management Plan should have a maintenance period of no less than five years unless specified by Council and must include the following delivery stages:

• Prior to commencement

• Prior to the issue of a construction certificate

• During building construction

• Prior to the issue of the occupation certificate and ongoing.

Where possible, all works must be scheduled ‘before the issue of construction certificate’.

East Coast Ecology will ensure that your works are scheduled correctly and include all the relevant information to ensure consent approval and minimise delays.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Meaningful key performance indicators should be identified for each management action.

For smaller sites, performance criteria may be limited to photo point monitoring undertaken by the owner. If this option is used, photo points must capture all management actions. In addition, baseline photo points are to be included, taken at the time of the Vegetation Management Plans preparation to track the progress of site management.

Copies of annual monitoring reports are to be provided to Council to ensure ongoing management and compliance.

East Coast Ecology can undertake annual monitoring requirements in line with the performance indicators and provide you with clear, concise reports to demonstrate ongoing compliance.

FIGURES AND TABLES

The Vegetation Management Plan should include relevant figures and tables to support the overall assessment. These can include:

• A detailed map showing site boundaries and each proposed management zone

• A detailed weed density map

• A list of Priority and environmental weeds identified on the site

• A map showing the location and direction of photo points

• A list of suitable local native species for planting on site (where applicable)

• Minimum planting densities for groundcovers, understorey, mid-storey and canopy.