Improving outcomes for native non-woody vegetation

Our role
Our role
Restore nature and enhance value for landholders
Restore nature and enhance value for landholders
Critically endangered ecological communities
Critically endangered ecological communities
Native non-woody vegetation
Native non-woody vegetation
Land management MER framework
Land management MER framework
  • Terms of Reference (Identification and assessment of native grasslands and non-woody vegetation)

The Premier, at the request of the Minister for Agriculture has asked the Commission to advise on policy options to improve outcomes for areas containing exclusively or predominantly non-woody vegetation (i.e. grasslands and ground cover).

The review will identify options to:

  • reduce unallocated clearing rates for non-woody vegetation
  • ensure the protection of high-value native grasslands
  • minimise overregulation of non-native non-woody vegetation and unrecoverable native non-woody vegetation.

We will deliver our final report to the Premier, Minister for Agriculture and Minister for the Environment by June 2025.

What is a native non-woody vegetation?

The term non-woody refers to herbaceous types of vegetation including groundcovers. Native groundcover is most often dominated by native grasses. In some areas such as native grasslands, the native groundcover grows on its own with no associated woody vegetation. In other areas, such as grassy woodlands, it grows as the ground layer under native trees and shrubs.

Native groundcover can be found throughout much of NSW. The species making up this groundcover vegetation varies from one region to another, but most are dominated by native grasses. Native groundcover is found in the open with no trees, or in lightly or heavily timbered country, in areas that were originally open grassland, woodland or forest.

Native groundcover can vary widely in condition, largely as a result of the way it has been grazed, fertilised or cleared since European settlement. Its condition reflects how modified it is from its original natural state. The NSW Land Management Framework recognises three condition states – Low, Moderate and High Conservation Value.