Www.environment.sa.gov.au Roadside Vegetation Management Plan Review Chris Nichols, Jo Baulderstone, Mel Carson Native Vegetation & Biodiversity Management.

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Roadside Vegetation Management Plan Review

Chris Nichols, Jo Baulderstone, Mel CarsonNative Vegetation & Biodiversity Management Unit

LGA Roads & Works ConferenceTanunda

25 August 2011

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Introduction

• Current status of Roadside Vegetation Management Plans

• Review process for Roadside Vegetation Management Plans

• Proposed Templates for Roadside Vegetation Management Plans

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• Introduction of the Native Vegetation Act 1991 -• District Councils required to manage roadside vegetation:-

either

• through Native Vegetation Council (NVC) - “Guidelines for the Management of Roadside Vegetation, 1997 ”:-

or

• in accordance with a Roadside Vegetation Management Plan, (RVMP) approved by the NVC.

Current Status

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Current Status

• not a legal requirement to produce RVMP

• many Councils have developed them using the NVC:-

“Preparing Roadside Vegetation Management Plans, Guidelines for Local Government prepared by the Native Vegetation

Council” (2004).

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Current Status

• many Councils have not prepared a RVMP

or

• have let it lapse at the end of the NVC approval period

or

• have not extended the plan beyond the approval period.

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Roadside Vegetation Management Plans Status - Update August 2010

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Review Process

• April 2009 - NVC and LGA review of issues

• Working group established

• process established to enable council’s to easily develop and implement RVMP’s

• May 2011 framework developed for LGA comment

• August 2011 redrafting framework following LGA feedback

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Review Process

• 19 Councils• not overly positive• excessive documentation• roadside vegetation survey required• resource intensive• financial impost• little perceived operational improvement and benefit• outside the capacity of most Council’s• a widening scope of work responsibility• issues with some of the clearance standards

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Review Process

• positive comments

• document well written

• provides a template that assists Councils

• more user-friendly than the current system

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Proposed Templates

• single RVMP document incorporating 3 alternative templates at differing levels of detail:-

• (Level 1, 2 and 3)

• bulk of information pre-written

• stepped approach - level of information and detail increases in each template

• enables Council’s to choose the most appropriate type of RVMP based on their specific needs and circumstances

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Instructions on use

• pre-written text colour coded for Level 1, 2 and 3

• Level 1 (Basic) - Black

• Level 2 (Vegetation Survey) - Red

• Level 3 (Comprehensive) - Purple

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Proposed Templates

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Example

1.3 Purpose of this Roadside Vegetation Management PlanThis  Roadside Vegetation Management Plan (RVMP) has been developed to provide a basis for managing roadside vegetation in accordance with the requirements of the Native Vegetation Act 1991, etc etc.

ADD if including Level 2: As well as providing Council with a comprehensive understanding of roadside management issues within the region, it also outlines the ecological value of roadside native vegetation etc etc.

ADD if including Level 3: Council also recognises that having a RVMP is important for road planning as well as road maintenance purposes - from road network planning, management of maintenance contracts, construction project planning, to development of environmental programs and strategies etc etc.

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Example (Level 1)

1.3 Purpose of This Roadside Vegetation Management Plan

This  Roadside Vegetation Management Plan (RVMP) has been developed to provide a basis for managing roadside vegetation in accordance with the requirements of the Native Vegetation Act 1991, etc etc.

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Example (Level 2)

1.3 Purpose of This Roadside Vegetation Management Plan

This  Roadside Vegetation Management Plan (RVMP) has been developed to provide a basis for managing roadside vegetation in accordance with the requirements of the Native Vegetation Act 1991, etc etc.

ADD if including Level 2: As well as providing Council with a comprehensive understanding of roadside management issues within the region, it also outlines the ecological value of roadside native vegetation etc etc.

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Example (Level 3)

1.3 Purpose of This Roadside Vegetation Management Plan

This  Roadside Vegetation Management Plan (RVMP) has been developed to provide a basis for managing roadside vegetation in accordance with the requirements of the Native Vegetation Act 1991. etc etc.

ADD if including Level 2: As well as providing Council with a comprehensive understanding of roadside management issues within the region, it also outlines the ecological value of roadside native vegetation etc etc.

ADD if including Level 3: Council also recognises that having a RVMP is important for road planning as well as road maintenance purposes - from road network planning, management of maintenance contracts, construction project planning, to development of environmental programs and strategies etc etc.