2023–24 SLATS Report

• At the start of the 2023–24 monitoring period, Queensland had 94,906,180 hectares (ha) of woody vegetation with greater than 10% crown cover. This is about 54.9% of Queensland’s land area.
• In the 2023–24 monitoring period, 274,616ha of woody vegetation was affected by clearing activity. This is a 17% decrease in clearing activity from 2022–23 (332,015ha) and about two-and-half times less clearing activity than was reported in 2018–19.
• Of the total clearing activity, 233,253ha (85%) resulted in full removal of the woody vegetation. This is a decrease of 14% in full clearing from 2022–23. The remaining 41,363ha of clearing activity in 2023–24 was partial clearing.
• In the 2023–24 monitoring period, 61,741ha of new regrowth was mapped.
• At the end of the 2023–24 monitoring period, Queensland had 94,734,668ha of woody vegetation, about 54.8% of Queensland. Accounting for losses due to full clearing activity, and gains due to new regrowth, this represents a net reduction of 171,512ha in the extent of the state’s woody vegetation for the monitoring period.

Statewide breakdown—clearing activity

• Clearing activity in Category X (unregulated) areas accounted for 75% (206,889ha) of the total clearing activity in Queensland, a 19% decrease from 2022–23 (254,647ha). Most of this resulted in full removal of the woody vegetation (190,480ha or 92% of all Category X clearing activity).
• About 22% (61,405ha) of the statewide clearing activity was in Category B (regulated remnant) areas—a 13% decrease from 2022–23 (70,799ha). About 62% (or 38,341ha) of the Category B clearing activity resulted in full removal of the woody vegetation.
• About 2% (4,876ha) of the statewide clearing activity was in Category C (high-value regrowth vegetation), a similar figure to 2022–23 (4,728ha). Less than 1% (1,249ha) was in Category R (regrowth watercourse area)—a 28% decrease from 2022–23 (1,725ha)
• About 1% (3,678ha) of the statewide clearing activity was in areas that have endangered regional ecosystems present, a 21% increase from 2022–23 (3,040ha). About 4% (10,075ha) of the clearing activity was in areas that have of concern regional ecosystems, and 20% (53,620ha) was in areas that have least concern regional ecosystems present, both decreases from 2022–23.
• Of the state’s 13 bioregions, the Brigalow Belt (53% or 145,844ha) and Mulga Lands (21% or 57,359ha) together accounted for nearly three-quarters (74%) of the state’s woody vegetation clearing activity. This is consistent with the past four SLATS reports.
• Clearing activity in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchment areas accounted for 43% (117,005ha) of the state’s total clearing. This is a decrease of 21% from 2022–23 (147,705ha). About 82% (95,707ha) of the clearing activity in GBR catchments resulted in the full removal of the woody vegetation.
• About 86% (235,935ha) of the statewide clearing activity was attributed to the pasture landcover replacement class. Of this, about 90% (213,154ha) was full clearing. A further 5% (14,759ha) of the clearing activity was attributed to forestry and about 60% (8,894ha) of this was partial clearing. Mine activity resulted in around 3% (7,025ha) of the state’s clearing activity, while infrastructure (3,178ha), crop (3,037ha) and settlement (994ha) landcover replacement classes each contributed 1% or less to the state’s total clearing activity.
• About 73% (199,589ha) of the total clearing activity occurred in locations estimated to have sparse or very sparse woody vegetation (i.e. vegetation with less than 50% crown cover). Clearing activity in the mid-dense vegetation class (i.e. 50–80% crown cover) accounted for most of the remaining areas mapped in the monitoring period (about 26% or 70,856ha).
• About 67% (183,286ha) of the clearing activity is estimated to be in woody vegetation less than 5 metres (m) in height, while about 8% (22,398ha) was in vegetation between 5–10m high. A further 25% (68,822ha) was in vegetation greater than 10m high.

Statewide breakdown—regrowth

• The Brigalow Belt bioregion had 51% (31,486ha) of the new regrowth mapped for the state in 2023–24. The Southeast Queensland and Mulga Lands bioregions had the next greatest areas of new regrowth mapped, contributing 13% (7,740ha) and 12% (7,402ha), respectively.
• About 86% (52,856ha) of the new regrowth mapped in 2023–24 was attributed to the pasture landcover class. A further 8% (4,795 ha) was mapped as crop, largely due to tree-crop orchards in around Bundaberg in Southeast Queensland. Around 5% (3,108ha) was attributed to forestry. New regrowth associated with mine was about 1% (878ha) of the total—this is regrowth associated with mine rehabilitation areas.
• Of the new regrowth mapped, about 79% (48,768ha) was categorised as either sparse or very sparse woody vegetation. Of the remainder, most of it was mid-dense woody vegetation (about 21% or 12,873ha).