The law
Forest operations are regulated in Tasmania, including on private land
Understand your legal responsibilities before starting any kind of forest practice. This includes getting the right approvals for your planned activities.
Tasmanian legislation and regulations define how forestry activities can be carried out across the state. They apply to anyone conducting forestry activities, including on private land and in farm forestry. Guidelines and standards help to protect natural and cultural values, forest health and the safety of workers.
Understand your obligations and opportunities before you start work.
Understand the law
A "forest practice" is defined as activities relating to:
- establishing plantations
- harvesting plantations
- harvesting and regenerating native forests
- clearing forests or threatened native vegetation
- harvesting tree ferns
- constructing roads and quarries as a related activity.
Take time to understand your responsibilities. You should be aware of:
Forest Practices Plan
A legal requirement before conducting forest practices. Plans set out intended activities and must be certified by a Forest Practices Officer.
Forest Practices Code
Guidelines and standards to protect natural and cultural forest values during forest practices.
Forest Safety Code
Safety measures to protect and improve the safety of people working within Tasmania’s forestry industry.
Learn more about these regulations and standards, and find links to useful resources including Private Forests Tasmania's Directory of Tasmanian Forestry Services:
Forest Practices Authority
The Forestry Practices Authority (FPA) manages Tasmania’s forest practices system on public and private land, and oversees the certification of Forest Practices Officers.
Learn more about the FPA and find guidance and resources about your legal responsibilities:
Find out if you need a Forest Practices Plan for your planned work, with the FPA’s interactive tool.
Do you need a Plan?What is a Forest Practices Officer?
A Forest Practices Officer (FPO) is appointed by the FPA. FPOs visit properties to help landholders understand the forest practices system, plan their operations and prepare a Forest Practices Plan.
Private timber reserves
A private timber reserve is an area of private land set aside for forestry purposes. It may be an area of native forest, a tree plantation or land intended to be planted in the near future.
The main benefits of declaring your land as a private timber reserve are:
- You secure the right to use your land to establish, grow and harvest trees in the long term
- You make planning processes simpler as local government approval is not required
- You can carry out compatible activities on the land
- The land is eligible to be classified as Primary Production Land and no land tax is payable.
Learn more about private timber reserves, including benefits and how to apply:
Private timber reservesProtecting your plantation
Plantation trees are a valuable long-term investment. But they are unfortunately vulnerable to fire risk and other natural disturbances.
While getting insurance for your plantation is not a legal requirement, it is highly recommended to protect your investment.
Insurance can cover standing plantations, as well as plantation and timber stacked during harvest, and re-establishment costs.
Learn more about protecting your plantation, including fire prevention measures:
Growing the future: The law
Sustainable, renewable management of private native regrowth forests for all Tasmanians
Day in the life: Forest Practices Officer
Forest Practices Officers (FPOs) are trained and appointed by Tasmania’s independent forestry regulator, the Forest Practices Authority (FPA). While FPOs have legal obligations to the FPA, they are employed in the forestry sector or work as independent consultants, offering specialist knowledge to support farmers to plan forestry activities.
