Native forestry compliance update
The EPA regulates compliance of native forestry on both private and public land to protect the environment and ensure logging operations are sustainable.
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.
This webpage will be refreshed at the beginning of each new financial year to display figures for the previous financial year. The most recent update was on 16 July 2025. Details of investigations and investigation outcomes are available on the EPA’s register.
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 – 30 June 2025, the EPA conducted 58 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 |
| Formal Warnings | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Official Cautions | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Clean up Notices | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stop Work Orders | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Penalty Notices | 5 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Prosecutions completed | 0 | 7** | 0 | 1 | 2 |
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.
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 – 30 June 2025, the EPA conducted 13 inspections 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 |
| Formal Warnings | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Official Cautions | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Clean up Notices | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Stop Work Orders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Penalty Notices | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Prosecutions completed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
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.