Protected Plant Flora Surveys

A protected plant flora survey is a specialist botanical assessment for plants listed under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA). If your development site falls within the Flora Survey Trigger Map, you may be required to conduct a protected plant survey before any clearing can commence. Queensland Ecologists provides expert protected plant surveys across South East Queensland, guiding you through the usual process - a desktop and mapping check followed by field survey or exemption review where needed - to support compliance with state requirements.

What Is a Protected Plant Flora Survey?

A protected plant flora survey is a targeted botanical assessment designed to determine whether plants listed as Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened (EVNT) under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 are present on a site proposed for clearing or development. These surveys are distinct from general vegetation surveys because they focus specifically on individual plant species protected under the NCA, rather than on vegetation communities or regional ecosystems.

The survey is conducted in accordance with the Protected Plants Assessment Guidelines published by the Queensland Government protected plants framework. Key components include:

• Flora Survey Trigger Map check - the first step is checking your site against the Flora Survey Trigger Map (accessed via WildNet or the Queensland Globe). This map identifies areas where protected plant species have been recorded or have habitat. If your clearing area falls within a “high risk” trigger area, a field survey is mandatory.
• Desktop species analysis - review of WildNet records, Queensland Herbarium data, and published species distribution data to identify which protected plant species are known or likely to occur in the area. This narrows the list of target species for the field survey.
• Systematic field survey - a detailed botanical survey conducted by a qualified botanist, targeting the EVNT plant species identified in the desktop assessment. The survey follows prescribed methodology including transect spacing, search effort, and seasonal timing requirements.
• Species identification and mapping - all protected plant species detected are identified (with voucher specimens collected where required for verification by the Queensland Herbarium), counted, and mapped with GPS coordinates.
• Impact management plan - where protected plants are found and will be impacted by the proposed development, an impact management plan must be prepared. This plan details how impacts will be avoided, minimised, and managed, including options for translocation, seed collection, or offset.
• Reporting to the administering authority - the completed survey report is submitted to the administering authority along with any required species management documents. The administering authority must be notified of the survey outcomes and any proposed impact management actions.

When Do You Need a Protected Plant Flora Survey?

The requirement for a protected plant flora survey is triggered through a clear two-stage regulatory process:

Stage 1: Flora Survey Trigger Map Check

Before any clearing of native vegetation, you (or your ecologist) must check the clearing footprint against the Flora Survey Trigger Map, available through WildNet or the Queensland Globe. The trigger map categorises areas as either “high risk” or outside the trigger area.

• If the clearing impact area (the area proposed for clearing) is within a high-risk area on the trigger map, a protected plant field survey is required before clearing can proceed.
• If the clearing area is outside the trigger area, no survey is required (though you must still comply with general duty of care provisions under the NCA).

Stage 2: Field Survey (if triggered)

Where the trigger map check identifies a high-risk area, a field survey must be conducted by a suitably qualified person within the 12 months preceding the proposed clearing. The survey has a 12-month validity period - if clearing does not commence within 12 months of the survey date, a new survey is required. The survey must follow the Protected Plants Assessment Guidelines, including specific requirements for survey timing, effort, and methodology.

Other situations where protected plant surveys are commonly required include:

• Development applications with vegetation clearing - many council planning schemes require confirmation of protected plant survey compliance as a condition of development approval
• Vegetation clearing under accepted development provisions - even where clearing does not require a development permit, the NCA protected plant requirements still apply independently
• Road and infrastructure projects - linear infrastructure projects (road upgrades, powerline easements, pipeline corridors) that traverse high-risk trigger areas
• Mining and resource activities - exploration and extraction activities requiring vegetation clearing in trigger areas

Our Protected Plant Flora Survey Process

1. Flora Survey Trigger Map check - we check your clearing footprint against the current Flora Survey Trigger Map and advise whether a field survey is required. If no survey is triggered, we provide written confirmation for your records and council.
2. Desktop species assessment - where a survey is triggered, we review WildNet records, Queensland Herbarium data, and regional species lists to identify which EVNT plant species are known or likely to occur on or near the site. We assess the habitats present to determine which species to target.
3. Seasonal timing assessment - many protected plant species can only be reliably identified during specific flowering or fruiting periods. We advise on the optimal survey timing for the target species and schedule the field survey accordingly.
4. Systematic field survey - our qualified botanists conduct a thorough field survey following the prescribed methodology, walking systematic transects across the clearing footprint and adjacent areas. All EVNT species detected are identified, counted, and accurately mapped.
5. Reporting and regulatory notification - we prepare a Protected Plant Survey Report in accordance with regulatory requirements, documenting the survey methodology, results, and any protected plants detected. The report is submitted to the administering authority as required. All survey records must be retained for a minimum of five years (five-year recordkeeping requirement) as evidence of compliance.
6. Impact management plan (if required) - where protected plants will be impacted by the proposed clearing, we prepare an impact management plan detailing avoidance, mitigation, and management measures. This may include redesigning the clearing footprint, plant translocation, seed banking, or offset arrangements.

Common Protected Plants in SEQ

South East Queensland supports a number of protected plant species that are frequently encountered during development assessments. Species that our botanists regularly survey for include:

• Macadamia species - including M. integrifolia (Macadamia nut), M. tetraphylla (Rough-shelled macadamia), and M. ternifolia (Bunya nut) - vulnerable to endangered (EPBC & NCA)
• Melaleuca irbyana (Swamp tea-tree) - endangered (NCA), found in clay plains of Logan, Ipswich, and Beaudesert areas
• Allocasuarina species - several listed species occur in SEQ, particularly in coastal and sub-coastal habitats
• Xanthostemon species - including X. oppositifolius, found in wet sclerophyll forests of the Gold Coast and Scenic Rim
• Planchonella euphlebia (Thin-leaved coondoo) - found in rainforest and vine thickets of SEQ
• Cryptocarya foetida (Stinking cryptocarya) - vulnerable (EPBC & NCA), found in lowland rainforest remnants

Which Councils Require This?

Protected plant survey requirements apply state-wide under the NCA, regardless of the local council. However, the Flora Survey Trigger Map intersects with development areas most frequently in the following SEQ councils:

• Brisbane City Council - trigger areas in remnant vegetation patches across the city
• Gold Coast City Council - extensive trigger areas in hinterland and northern coastal areas
• Sunshine Coast Council - trigger areas throughout hinterland and coastal habitats
• Logan City Council - significant trigger areas, particularly for Melaleuca irbyana
• Moreton Bay Regional Council - trigger areas in remnant vegetation in Pine Rivers and Caboolture
• Redland City Council - trigger areas across mainland and island areas
• Ipswich City Council - trigger areas in remnant vegetation, Melaleuca irbyana habitat
• Scenic Rim Regional Council - extensive trigger areas across the region
• Noosa Shire Council - trigger areas in diverse habitats across the shire

Related Services

• Flora and Vegetation Surveys - broader vegetation assessment and regional ecosystem mapping that complements protected plant surveys
• Ecological Assessment Reports - comprehensive ecological assessments that incorporate protected plant survey outcomes
• Targeted Threatened Species Surveys - broader threatened species surveys covering both flora and fauna
• Fauna Surveys - fauna assessment that complements botanical survey work

Get a Quote

Need to check whether your site triggers a protected plant survey? Queensland Ecologists can conduct the trigger map check and, if required, complete the full field survey and reporting process. We handle everything from the initial check through to regulatory notification and impact management planning.

Call us on (07) 3018 7538 or request a quote online. We can usually confirm whether a survey is triggered within the same day and provide a quote for the field survey promptly.