Native Vegetation Council

The Native Vegetation Act 1991 (the Act) protects all native vegetation across the state (except for metropolitan Adelaide) and is the only South Australian legislation that protects plants and animals and their habitats across the landscape, including inland wetlands, rivers and marine environments. The Act was first introduced in South Australia in 1985 and was designed to prevent broad scale clearance of native vegetation and to address landscape degradation, such as dryland salinity. The legislation was the first of its kind in Australia and has had general bipartisan support over the 27 years of operation without being repealed and replaced, or significantly altered. Gradual and incremental changes have been made over time to modernise the Act and its regulations. This has ensured that the requirements of communities, land managers and primary producers are balanced with maintaining a productive landscape. Native Vegetation Council The Native Vegetation Council (NVC) is established under the Act as an independent statutory body, to keep the condition of native vegetation in the state under review, and provide advice to the Minister. The NVC is a seven-member expert panel independent of government, able to develop policy and make decisions under the Act. The NVC provides a valuable mechanism for government to connect with communities and industry where consultation, engagement and decisions on complex clearance matters are considered and determinations made. Importantly, the government can obtain professional and unbiased advice on the contemporary issues facing communities who actively manage native vegetation.