Vegetation
This exemption is for vegetation and landscape maintenance-based tasks.
Examples of typical activities/works include:
- weeding
- mowing and pruning
- planting including seasonal rotation of species
- mulching.
Standard Exemption 13. Vegetation
General conditions (see page 6 of Government Gazette) apply to the use of all Standard Exemptions and must be complied with.
The following specified activities/works to an item do not require approval under subsection 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 if the specified activities/works are undertaken in accordance with each of the relevant standards prescribed below.
Specified activities/works:
- Weeding (including poisoning of weeds), watering, mowing, manual clearing of paths and drains, top-dressing, pest control and fertilising.
- New planting of species sympathetic to the item.
- Pruning to control size, improve shape, condition, flowering or fruiting.
- Removal of non-significant diseased, dying, dead and/or dangerous trees and/or plant material.
- Tree surgery.
Relevant standards:
- Activities/works must not alter the significant layout, contours, plant species or other significant landscape features or views.
- Pruning of significant vegetation must not exceed 30% of the tree canopy within a period of two years.
- Tree surgery may only be performed by a qualified arborist, horticulturist or tree surgeon and must be necessary for the health of those plants.
- Selective herbicide should be used when poisoning weeds. Herbicide should be applied using:
- spot application around significant elements of the heritage item (e.g. ornamental or symbolic plants, remnant native vegetation, structures, exposed relics and moveable items) to avoid adverse impacts to these; and
- spraying in non-significant areas of the curtilage.
- Removal of diseased, dead, dying or dangerous trees and/or plant material must not disturb archaeological relics (for example through stump grinding or removal of tree boles, in such situations stumps and tree boles should be left in place).
Guidance
- The Heritage Manual (1996, Heritage Office and Department of Urban Affairs & Planning)
- The Maintenance Series (1996, republished 2004, NSW Heritage Office and Department of Urban Affairs & Planning)
- The Burra Charter (The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance) 2013
- Maintenance Series 1.1: Inspection schedule
- Maintenance Series 1.1: Preparing a maintenance plan
- Maintenance Series 1.2: Documenting maintenance and repair
- Maintenance Series 9.1: Heritage gardens and grounds
- Technical Note: Managing risk with heritage trees
- Street Trees in NSW: guidelines for conservation
- Federation Gardens
- General advice about heritage gardens: