Native forestry compliance update

The EPA regulates the compliance of Crown forestry operations with Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals (IFOAs) and the compliance of private forestry operations with the Private Native Forestry Codes of Practice.

This is achieved through operational inspections, audits, and investigations, and is supported by education and training.

Native forestry operations on public land

The EPA conducts inspections, audits and investigations into operations carried out by Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) in regions covered by an IFOA, including coastal and western forests.

Between 1 July 2024 to 30 September 2024, the EPA conducted 20 inspections of forestry operations on public land.

Compliance actions taken

	Number of compliance actions issued *
Compliance action type	2020‑21	2021‑22	2022‑23	2023‑24^#	2024-25 (Q1)
Advisory Letters	6	2	2	4	4
Directions (Voluntary)	3	0	0	0	0
Show Cause Letters	8	7	3	6	1
Formal Warnings	1	2	1	0	0
Official Cautions	6	1	0	1	0
Clean up Notices	1	0	0	0	0
Stop Work Orders	2	0	0	3	0
Penalty Notices	5	4	0	4	0
Prosecutions completed	0	7^†	0	1	1

Explanatory notes:

The majority of forestry operations were suspended from November 2019 to February 2020 due to the 2019–20 bushfires.

*Prior to July 2021, the EPA reported the number of forestry operations that were issued with a compliance action. From July 2021, the EPA reports on the total number of compliance actions that were issued on forestry operations on public land for greater transparency of EPA regulatory action.

^†From 1 October 2022, the number of prosecutions will reflect the number of convictions. This is consistent with how prosecutions are presented on the EPA’s public register, and the reporting changes from 1 July 2021 showing the total number of regulatory actions. For example, if a prosecution resulted in a conviction of 3 charges, the number of prosecutions will be '3'. As a result of this change, the number of prosecutions for the 2021–22 financial year has been updated to reflect the total number of convictions. Please see the EPA’s Register of Crown forestry investigations page for details.

^#Starting January 2024, this webpage will be refreshed quarterly to display figures for completed quarters of the current financial year as of the update date. The most recent update was on 10 October 2024.

Details of investigations and investigation outcomes are available on the EPA’s register.

Compliance audit reports for individual crown forestry operations are available on our compliance audit report register.

Native forestry operations on private land

The EPA conducts inspections and investigations into operations carried out under a Private Native Forestry Plan approved by the Local Land Services, and the Private Native Forestry Code of Practice.

Between 1 July 2024 and 30 September 2024, the EPA conducted 1 inspection of forestry operations on private land.

Compliance actions taken

	Number of compliance actions issued *
Compliance action type	2020‑21	2021‑22	2022‑23	2023‑24^#	2024-25 (Q1)
Advisory Letters	9	3	0	3	1
Directions (Voluntary)^§	0	0	0	0	0
Show Cause Letters	1	4	2	4	0
Formal Warnings	6	2	2	4	2
Official Cautions	1	3	2	1	1
Clean up Notices	0	0	1	0	0
Stop Work Orders	0	0	0	0	0
Penalty Notices	0	0	0	1	1
PNF Plan Terminations^†	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Prosecutions completed	0	0	0	0	1

Explanatory notes:

*Prior to July 2021, the EPA reported the number of forestry operations that were issued with a compliance action. From July 2021, the EPA reports on the total number of compliance actions that were issued on forestry operations on private land for greater transparency of EPA regulatory action.

^†As of 30 April 2018, Local Land Services assumed responsibility for the termination of PNF plans in accordance with 60ZZ of the Local Land Services Act 2013. The EPA no longer reports on PNF plan terminations.

^§The EPA no longer uses the term ‘Directions (voluntary)’ to describe compliance action. The EPA’s new Regulatory Policy contains further information on the EPA’s compliance tools.