NSW Land Clearing Rises 16 Percent in 2024

The Government of New South Wales released data from the Statewide Landcover and Tree Study showing that land clearing rose 16 percent between 2023 and 2024, increasing from 66,498 hectares to over 81,000 hectares. Agriculture served as the primary driver, accounting for 88 percent of all clearing in 2024, which represents a 77 percent increase from the previous year. While woody vegetation clearing fell 19 percent below the 2018-2024 average, non-woody clearing of grasses and scrub rose 13 percent above that average.

A significant 60 percent of all clearing was classified as unallocated, meaning the government has no record of authorization. Additionally, 45 percent of authorized clearing under the Local Land Services Act was attributed to invasive native species management. Environmental advocates, including the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Greens, characterized the figures as a broken promise by Premier Chris Minns to rein in clearing laws loosened by a previous Coalition government.

Xavier Martin of NSW Farmers disputed that clearing is excessive, attributing unallocated figures to legal weed management and poor government mapping. In response to the data, the government stated that reforms are progressing under the NSW Plan for Nature and has commissioned the Natural Resources Commission to provide advice on protecting rural native vegetation.