Before you apply: requirements for all applications

Before submitting your application for either a low risk or high risk species management program, you must:

1. Understand the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and associated regulations

Familiarise yourself with the protection afforded to protected animals and plants to ensure that you have all the necessary approvals to conduct your proposed activity.

The Nature Conservation Act 1992, the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020, and the Nature Conservation (Plants) Regulation 2020 are available on the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel website.

2. Review the information sheet

Read the Information Sheet—Species Management Program requirements for tampering with a protected animal breeding place (the information sheet).

This document explains:

• the principles and protocols for tampering with animal breeding places
• the standard considerations relevant to all identified animal breeding places
• the format and details required in an application for a species management program.

3. Complete the application form

Submit a fully completed species management program application form, ensuring all relevant sections are filled out and signed.

Additional requirements depending on program type

Low risk species management program

In addition to the requirements in the information sheet, your application must include:

• a map or plan of the proposed impact area that clearly identifies the location and extent of animal breeding places.

High risk species management program

In addition to the requirements outlined above, applications for a high risk species management program must include the following documents (as specified in Table 1 of the information sheet):

Animal breeding place survey report

Provide detailed information about breeding places identified within the project area. Ensure the report:

• addresses all required items listed in Table 1 of the information sheet
• follows the specified headings and order in Table 1. Failure to do so may increase assessment timeframes or require the department to seek further information.

Impact management plan

Outline clear, specific strategies to manage the impacts of tampering with breeding places of high risk species.

Ensure the plan:

• commits the applicant to strategies by using clear, actionable language and avoids vague terms such as "where possible," "if feasible," or "where practical"
• outlines strategies to manage impacts and ensure accountability and compliance with the Act
• specifies actions to minimise impacts during the breeding season.

For more detailed guidance on individual sections of the plan (for example, "nature of impact," or use of fauna spotter catchers), refer to the Frequently Asked Questions section.

Map or plan of the proposed impact area

Clearly identify the location and extent of the activity that may affect the breeding place.

Important note: strict compliance

Supporting documents must address each item in Table 1 of the information sheet. Incomplete, unclear, or incorrectly formatted information, may result in the application being deemed invalid and returned for revision.

Documents prepared for other approval processes, or containing irrelevant information, will not be assessed. The department will not extract, or infer required information, from large or complex documents that have been used to obtain other environmental approvals, including, for example, environmental impact assessments or development applications. These applications will be deemed invalid and returned for revision.

What you can and cannot do under a species management program

What you can do

An approved species management program authorises you to:

• tamper with a protected animal breeding place
• implement actions to reduce immediate and long-term impacts on animal breeding places
• monitor and report on the effectiveness of these actions.

What you cannot do

An approved species management program does not authorise you to:

• clear or remove habitat, plants or vegetation (regulated under other legislation such as the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (protected plant framework), Vegetation Management Act 1999 (vegetation management framework), Fisheries Act 1994, or Planning Act 2016.
• take a protected animal, including eggs and young, from an animal breeding place (this requires a damage mitigation permit or a rehabilitation permit (spotter catcher))
• take a protected animal from the wild if its habitat will be destroyed by human activity (this requires a rehabilitation permit (spotter catcher))
• take a protected animal to minimise damage or loss of property (e.g. crops) or to protect human health or wellbeing (this requires a damage mitigation permit).