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 2021 and 31 March 2022, the EPA conducted 52 inspections of forestry operations on public land.
Compliance actions taken in the last 5 financial years
|
|
Number of operations that were issued with the compliance action* |
Number of compliance actions issued |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Compliance action type |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
2019-20** |
2020-21 |
Jul 21-Mar 22 |
|
Advisory Letters |
8 |
6 |
3 |
6 |
0 |
|
Directions (Voluntary) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
Show Cause Letters |
4 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
4 |
|
Formal Warnings |
2 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Official Cautions |
5 |
3 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
|
Clean up Notices |
1 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
|
Stop Work Orders |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
Penalty Notices |
0 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
|
Prosecutions commenced*** |
– |
– |
– |
10 |
0 |
|
Prosecutions completed |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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 public land for greater transparency of EPA regulatory action.
** Majority of forestry operations were suspended from November 2019 to February 2020 due to the 2019-20 bushfires.
*** The prosecutions commenced row was added in September 2021 to include data for the 2020/21 financial year. Not all prosecutions proceed to completion. In 2017-18, the EPA undertook two prosecutions in the Land and Environment Court for impacts from logging in Glenbog and Badja State Forests. This resulted in a fine of $8000 being imposed by the court for failing to comply with the IFOA in Glenbog State Forest. The court did not record a conviction for the alleged breach of the IFOA in Badja State Forest.
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 2021 and 31 March 2022, the EPA conducted 31 inspections of forestry operations on private land.
Compliance actions taken in the last five years
|
|
Number of operations that were issued with the compliance action* |
Number of compliance actions issued |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Compliance action type |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
2019-20 |
2020-21 |
Jul 21-Mar 22 |
|
Advisory Letters |
10 |
7 |
9 |
9 |
2 |
|
Directions (Voluntary)*** |
12 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Show Cause Letters |
2 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
|
Formal Warnings |
12 |
8 |
10 |
6 |
1 |
|
Official Cautions |
8 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
|
Clean up Notices |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Stop Work Orders |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Penalty Notices |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
PNF Plan Terminations |
2 |
0 |
N/A** |
N/A** |
N/A** |
|
Prosecutions completed |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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.