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SLATS vegetation management analysis

Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS) is an annual scientific monitoring program undertaken by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation’s Remote Sensing Centre. SLATS uses satellite imagery to monitor changes in woody vegetation extent in Queensland.

In conjunction with the Remote Sensing Centre, the Department of Resources utilises the Early Detection System (EDS) as the primary tool to rapidly detect vegetation canopy cover change (every 16 days) within regulated vegetation areas. This provides timely monitoring, and the opportunity for early engagement with landholders if unexplained clearing is identified.

Further analysis of SLATS data is used as a validation tool to complement EDS. This SLATS analysis provides the department further intelligence regarding annual clearing activity in the context of the vegetation management framework. The analysis intersects SLATS data with available property-level data derived from accepted development vegetation clearing code notifications, development approvals and area management plans as well as spatial layers that represent exemptions. This generates a detailed breakdown of the statewide clearing identified in SLATS.

Regulated vegetation clearing data

Clearing of regulated vegetation reduced from about 96,600 hectares in 2019-20 to 61,400 hectares in 2020-21.

Clearing of Category X areas reduced from about 321,200 hectares in 2019-20 to 287,100 hectares in 2020-21. Areas are classified Category X if they have been previously cleared. They are generally exempt under the vegetation management framework.

Categories include the following:

  • Category X areas are divided into Category X areas on property maps of assessable vegetation (PMAV) or Category X areas on the regulated vegetation management map (RVMM) respectively. Clearing in all Category X areas is generally exempt from requirements under the vegetation management framework.
  • Accepted development vegetation clearing codes (ADVCCs) are self-assessable codes that apply to low-risk vegetation management activities. Landholders must notify of their intention to clear and then comply with the provisions of the relevant code.
  • Exempt other clearing represents clearing that can be identified as exempt (other than Category X areas) under the vegetation management framework using available spatial layers. This includes tenures and grasslands not regulated under the Vegetation Management Act 1999 as well as clearing for resource activities (which are regulated under other legislation) and exempt clearing in urban areas.
  • Development applications under the Planning Act may be approved for a specified purposes that involve the clearing of vegetation. When approvals are granted, the approved clearing of identified regulated vegetation is lawful.
  • Area management plans (AMPs) apply to self-assessable, region-specific low-risk vegetation management activities. Landholders must notify the department of their intention to clear and then comply with the provisions of that AMP.
  • All remaining clearing is categorised as ‘unexplained clearing’. Further analysis is undertaken by vegetation management staff to evaluate the identified clearing areas and assess these for further action as appropriate.

For more information, read an explanation of vegetation management framework mapping. You can also read details of vegetation management classes (i.e. endangered, of concern, least concern).

Figure 1: SLATS total clearing under the vegetation management framework
Comparison between 2019-20 (418,000ha) and 2020-21 (348,000ha)

Clearing type Vegetation management category 2020-2021 area cleared (ha) 2019-20 area cleared (ha) 2018-19 area cleared (ha)
Exempt Category X
Exempt PMAV 		215,700
(62%) 		236,000
(57%)  		374,200
(55%)
Category X
Exempt RVMM 		71,500
(21%) 		85,200
(20%) 		112,300
(17%)
Subtotal287,200321,200486,500
Regulated ADVCC 18,800
(5%) 		33,500
(8%) 		102,500
(15%)
Unexplained 25,600
(7%) 		38,300
(9%) 		63,700
(9%)
Exempt other 14,800
(4%) 		21,100
(5%) 		19,700
(3%)
DA 1,600
(0.5%) 		1,700
(0.4%) 		6,100
(0.9%)
AMP 600
(0.2%)		 2,000
(0.5%) 		2,800
(0.4%)
Subtotal61,40096,600194,800

Clearing purposes/codes that are not displayed in the table made up less than 1% of the total clearing in all years.

Clearing purpose 2020-2021 area cleared (ha)
(% of total 18,800ha)		 2019-20 area cleared (ha)
(% of total 33,500ha)		 2018-19 area cleared (ha)
(% of total 102,500ha)
Multiple purposes 780
(4.2%) 		4,900
(14%) 		11,600
(11%)
Fodder harvesting 6,300
(33.1%) 		17,900
(53%) 		79,100
(77%)
Native forest practice 5,000
(26.3%) 		8,800
(26%) 		5,400
(5.2%)
Encroachment 5,200
(27.4%) 		950
(2.8%) 		3,800
(3.7%)
Managing weeds 1,000
(5.3%) 		(1.7%) (<1%)
Infrastructure 560
(3%) 		(1.4%) (1%)

Clearing purposes/AMPs that are not displayed in the table made up less than 1% of the total clearing in all years, or the AMP is no longer in effect.

Clearing purpose 2020-21 area cleared (ha)
(% of total 600ha)		 2019-20 area cleared (ha)
(% of total 2,000ha)		 2018-19 area cleared (ha)
(% of total 2,800ha)
Managing thickened vegetation - 1,250
(63.5%) 		1,430
(51.8%)
Managing thickened vegetation/Encroachment - 440
(22.3%) 		-
Managing weeds 600
(100%) 		180
(9.1%) 		670
(24.4%)
Encroachment - 92
(4.7%) 		(<1%)
Fodder harvesting - - 620
(22.3%)

Clearing purposes/codes that are not displayed in the table made up less than 1% of the total clearing in all years.

Clearing purpose 2020-21 area cleared (ha)
(% of total 1,600ha)		 2019-20 area cleared (ha)
(% of total 1,700ha)		 2018-19 area cleared (ha)
(% of total 6,100ha)
MCU/RaL 600
(37.5%) 		740
(43.3%) 		620
(10.2%)
High-value agriculture 100
(6%) 		550
(32.1%) 		89
(1.5%)
Fence/Firebreak/Road/Infrastructure 230
(14.7%) 		150
(8.8%) 		(<1%)
Multiple purposes 570
(35.8%) 		120
(7.1%) 		100
(1.7%)
Managing thickened vegetation <1% 69
(4%)  		(<1%)
Extractive industry 20
(1.1%) 		44
(2.6%) 		(<1%)
Necessary environmental clearing - 35
(2.1%) 		-
Fodder harvesting 70
(4.2%)		 - 5,200
(85.6%)

Figure 2: SLATS full and partial clearing of regulated vegetation under the vegetation management framework
Comparison between 2019-20 (96,600ha) and 2020-21 (61,400ha)

For detailed definitions of full and partial clearing, see the SLATS report 2018-19.

2020-21

Type of clearing Full clearing (ha) Partial clearing (ha) Total (ha)
Unexplained 20,000 5,500 25,500
ADVCC 13,300 5,500 18,800
Exempt other 8,300 6,400 14,700
DA 1,400 200 1,600
AMP 575 35 610

2019-20

Type of clearing Full clearing (ha) Partial clearing (ha) Total (ha)
Unexplained 21,100 17,200 38,300
ADVCC 10,400 23,100 33,500
Exempt other 14,200 6,900 21,100
DA 1,200 400 1,600
AMP 500 1,500 2,000

2018-19

2018-19 data
Type of clearing Full clearing (ha) Partial clearing (ha) Total (ha)
Unexplained 34,300 29,400 63,700
ADVCC 45,700 56,800 102,500
Exempt other 13,700 6,100 19,800
DA 800 5,300 6,100
AMP 1,500 1,300 2,800

Figure 3: SLATS breakdown of clearing by vegetation management status of regulated vegetation under the vegetation management framework 2020-21 (total 61,000ha)

Clearing by vegetation management class of regulated vegetation

Read details of vegetation management classes (i.e. endangered, of concern, least concern).

Clearing type Vegetation management category Endangered (ha) Of concern (ha) Least concern (ha)
Unexplained Regulated remnant 1,204 4,514 16,025
Regulated regrowth 912 1,585 1,309
ADVCC Regulated remnant 745 3,427 13,165
Regulated regrowth 157 617 640
Exempt other Regulated remnant 320 1.562 11,334
Regulated regrowth 379 365 784
DA Regulated remnant 45 164 1,269
Regulated regrowth 14 39 63
AMP Regulated remnant 0 0 578
Regulated regrowth 0 0 32
Total 3,776 12,273 45,199

Read details of vegetation management classes (i.e. endangered, of concern, least concern).

Clearing type Vegetation management category Endangered (ha) Of concern (ha) Least concern (ha)
Unexplained Regulated remnant 2,680 7,262 23,754
Regulated regrowth 1,259 1,607 1,769
ADVCC Regulated remnant 674 9,223 21,864
Regulated regrowth 212 820 676
Exempt other Regulated remnant 651 1,701 16,503
Regulated regrowth 469 820 903
DA Regulated remnant 60 197 1,319
Regulated regrowth 9 32 39
AMP Regulated remnant 0 1,194 763
Regulated regrowth 0 0 8
Total 6,014 22,857 67,596

Read details of vegetation management classes (i.e. endangered, of concern, least concern).

Clearing type Vegetation management category Endangered (ha) Of concern (ha) Least concern (ha)
Unexplained Regulated remnant 2,563 9,708 46,092
Regulated regrowth 1,096 1,809 2,469
ADVCC Regulated remnant 744 7,659 91,973
Regulated regrowth 276 751 1,045
Exempt other Regulated remnant 655 1,061 15,805
Regulated regrowth 425 1,031 745
DA Regulated remnant 43 159 5,805
Regulated regrowth 18 40 20
AMP Regulated remnant 0 1,432 1,297
Regulated regrowth 0 0 31
Total 5,820 23,650 165,282

Clearing of regulated vegetation in specific bioregions

Year Exempt
other		AMPDAADVCCUnexplainedTotal
Mulga Lands
2020-21 213 0 143 6201 2775 9333
2019-20 140 0 2 21727 5201 27069
2018-19 3992 616 5285 89937 29865 129695
Brigalow Belt
2020-21 9344 0 349 5094 11288 26075
2019-20 8150 1217 568 8473 20128 38536
2018-19 6951 1450 398 6204 22080 37083
Mitchell Grass Downs
2020-21 402 180 42 5312 2049 7985
2019-20 6360 633 0 811 1874 9678
2018-19 3158 447 11 3559 2172 9347
South-East Queensland
2020-21 1716 0 124 1399 2034 5273
2019-20 2647 0 97 1970 2510 7224
2018-19 2110 0 105 1333 2364 5912
Desert Uplands
2020-21 550 12 51 207 2320 3141
2019-20 128 21 20 187 2731 3087
2018-19 142 54 12 496 1957 2661
Einasleigh Uplands
2020-21 466 245 241 99 1534 2585
2019-20 563 27 687 39 1862 3178
2018-19 361 102 81 31 1692 2268
Gulf Plains
2020-21 124 172 517 64 1999 2877
2019-20 329 68 235 0 1827 2459
2018-19 302 89 147 6 2005 2548
Cape York Peninsula
2020-21 1633 0 35 35 306 2008
2019-20 2074 0 14 0 489 2577
2018-19 2047 0 21 0 510 2578
Central Queensland Coast
2020-21 87 0 28 133 444 693
2019-20 391 0 29 113 870 1403
2018-19 239 0 4 159 260 662
New England Tableland
2020-21 38 0 11 62 396 506
2019-20 74 0 2 89 632 797
2018-19 106 0 12 171 405 694
Channel Country
2020-21 39 0 0 66 234 338
2019-20 55 0 0 13 37 105
2018-19 31 0 0 510 299 840
Wet Tropics
2020-21 114 0 52 79 107 352
2019-20 122 0 2 50 141 315
2018-19 141 0 5 41 73 260
North-West Highlands
2020-21 24 0 0 0 65 89
2019-20 29 0 0 0 28 58
2018-19 143 0 4 0 62 209
Last updated:
30 July 2023
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