Previous regulatory reforms

The NSW Forestry Industry Roadmap sets out a range of actions to improve how native forestry is managed and regulated in NSW and ensure it is sustainable and balances environmental outcomes, industry needs and community expectations.

The Forestry Legislation Amendment Act 2018 enshrines principles of Ecologically Sustainable Forest Management in laws that regulate native forestry on both public and private land. It commenced on 9 November 2018 and:

• streamlined and updated the legislation that regulates native forestry on public and private land.
• delivered increased regulatory certainty for industry to operate efficiently and provides enhanced transparency for the public and greater enforceability.
• delivered stronger penalties for not complying with an Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA), bringing these penalties into line with what already applies to forestry operations on private lands and other regulated industries in NSW.
• provided a broadened suite of regulatory tools for the EPA, such as stop work orders and remediation orders, which are tailored for regulating native forestry operations.

This framework balances economic needs with community expectations in a way that is efficient, outcomes based, enforceable and reflects modern best-practice regulation.

Public native forestry

Amendments to the Forestry Act 2012 removed the need for Forestry Corporation of NSW to hold multiple licences under various Acts. The Act now provides a truly integrated licence, an Integrated Forestry Operations Approval (IFOA), for undertaking forestry operations on Crown land.

The native forestry regulatory framework provides for the Coastal IFOA - which are the operational rules for forestry operations. 

Private native forestry

Amendments to the Local Lands Services Act 2013 included regulatory requirements for private native forestry. This enabled a more seamless approach for landholders seeking advice on all land management options, including native forestry, from the Local Land Services. The Act maintains the EPA responsibility for compliance and enforcement.

Forestry operations on private land continue to be regulated through private native forestry plans and Private Native Forestry Codes of Practice. The Codes were remade on 2 May 2022 following a review involving full public consultation which closed on 31 January 2019.   

Further detail on the new codes can be found on the LLS website at www.lls.nsw.gov.au/pnforestry.