NEW PLAIN ENGLISH GUIDE WILL HELP LANDHOLDERS

A new plain-English guide that will help landholders apply for a permit to harvest vegetation for fodder was released today by the Minister for Natural Resources and Water, Craig Wallace.

The Landholder’s Guide to Fodder Harvesting is the first of a series of guides for landholders that will be rolled out by the Department of Natural Resources and Water (NRW).

The fodder guide explains whether landholders will need a permit to clear vegetation for fodder, how to apply and how NRW assesses the applications.

“We are helping landholders to know what they can do with fodder harvesting, not what they cannot,” Mr Wallace said.

“And we are doing it in an easy-to-understand way,” he said.

Other assistance to landholders includes:

·Landholders can get a kit – free of charge – that includes base maps, a satellite image of their property and other information needed to lodge their fodder harvesting application.

·NRW is setting up a system so landholders can make an appointment with a specialist vegetation-management officer to get one-on-one advice and assistance with fodder applications under the Vegetation Management Act.

On November 8, Mr Wallace also announced more user-friendly vegetation codes that make applications to clear vegetation simpler – 24 Regional Vegetation Management Codes have been reduced to just 4.

Mr Wallace said he expected the new plain English guide to be very well received by landholders, as it gave a commonsense explanation of the system allowing landholders to seek permits to harvest fodder.

While broadscale clearing ends on December 31, 2006, future guides will cover applications to clear for a range of purposes that are still permitted, such as weed control, thinning and clearing regrowth.

“The aim is to make it easier for landholders to prepare and lodge their applications and thus make it easier for them to comply with the Vegetation Management Act,” Mr Wallace said.

The Landholder’s guide to fodder harvesting is available from the NRW website, www.nrw.qld.gov.au/vegetation or by contacting your nearest NRW service centre.

Media inquiries: Paul Childs on 0407 131 654.