Protected plant harvesting licence
Legislation
- Nature Conservation Act 1992
- Nature Conservation (Plants) Regulation 2020
Activity description
You will need this licence if you intend to harvest, keep and trade in protected plants. Protected plants are native plant species that face real risk and comprise the following:
- threatened species – those native plants listed as critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable and near threatened species
- special least concern species – least concern plant species subject to harvesting pressure because of their commercial value or their special characteristics (e.g. being slow growing or slow to reproduce).
Permit summary
Harvesting of threatened and near threatened species and special least concern species is allowed where it can be demonstrated to be sustainable.
To do this, a harvester must operate under a sustainable harvest plan. These plans must demonstrate the long-term sustainability of any harvesting.
Salvaging allows for people to harvest, use and trade threatened, near threatened or special least concern plants that would otherwise be destroyed by lawful clearing.
Anyone with a harvesting licence, and acting with the permission of the property owner, can rescue/salvage whole plants or plant parts for replanting, private use or trade that are approved to be cleared under the clearing permit (subject to the requirements of the clearing permit).
Where plants are being cleared as part of maintenance clearing (e.g. around infrastructure, or to establish a firebreak), plant parts may be salvaged without requiring a harvesting licence.
More information
Harvesting protected plants
How to apply
It is recommended that you submit a pre-lodgement request prior to applying for this authority. Once you have discussed with the department, you must then register for an Online Services account, Log in and select the Wildlife Authorities hub. If you do not have an account you will need to create a new customer record as an individual/sole trader or Organisation (e.g. company) and select ‘New application’