Native Vegetation

Local native (indigenous) vegetation provides many important benefits, including:

• Providing habitats for flora and fauna
• Preventing soil from eroding
• Protecting water quality
• Conserving biological diversity
• Providing shade and shelter for houses and properties
• Minimising impacts from global warming
• Providing landscape amenity

Local plants are also suited to the local soil and climate and are great for planting in your garden. Some suggestions can be found in our Sustainable Gardening in Frankston Guide.

Frankston City has a relatively wide range of remnant vegetation communities. One hundred and eight sites of State, regional or local botanical significance have been identified on both public and private land in the municipality, containing 22 rare or threatened plant species.

Although much indigenous vegetation on private land has been cleared throughout the municipality, many significant sites still remain and it is important to conserve and enhance what is left.

More information on native vegetation can be found on the Department of Sustainability and Environment's Web site and Trees on this Web site.

Ecological Vegetation Classes

An Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC) is a mapping unit that was established to describe and classify vegetation. Information on this process can be found on the Department of Sustainability and Environment's Web site.

Frankston City Council has 23 EVC's encompasing a wide range of vegetation types. A number of these EVC's are listed as endangered, these include:

• Coastal Dune Grassland
• Swamp Scrub
• Swampy Riparian Woodland
• Gully Woodland
• Grassy Woodland
• Valley Heathy Forest
• Plains Grassy Woodland
• Swampy Woodland
• Plains Grassy Wetland
• Tall Marsh
• Aquatic Herbland

For further information download a free copy of the Frankston Vegetation Study 2006 Report.

Removing Vegetation

The Frankston Planning Scheme and Tree Protection Local Law 2010 No.17 provides for the protection of native and exotic vegetation.

Under the Frankston Planning Scheme some areas within Frankston City are protected by Overlay Controls that protect native vegetation, whilst land over 0.4 ha is also protected by Statewide Planning Controls protecting native vegetation.

These controls protect the environmental values of the area, and conserve and enhance the character of significant landscapes.

If the area in which you require to remove, destroy or lop any vegetation is affected by controls protecting native vegetation, you will be required to submit a planning application through Council's Town Planning Department.

Where there are no controls under the Frankston Planning Scheme, a local law permit is required for the following listed actions where the tree has a trunk circumference equal to or greater than 110 cm (centimetres) measured at its base:

• Remove, damage, kill or destroy or direct, authorise or allow to be removed, damaged, killed or destroyed a tree
• Carry out, or direct, authorise or allow to be carried out, any works near a tree where any part of such works takes place within the Tree Protection Zone and the accumulated effect of all works carried out at any time affect more that 10% of the Tree Protection Zone
• Prune, cut, trim, top or direct, authorise or allow to be pruned, cut, topped or trimmed more than one-third (1/3rd) of the outer-edge of the Crown or where the accumulation of all pruning, completed at any time, with or without a permit, equals or exceeds one-third (1/3rd) of the Crown of a tree

The Tree Protection Zone is calculated as a radial distance from the centre of the trunk which is equal to 12 times the diameter of the trunk.

All types of trees, both native and exotic but excluding weeds, are covered by the Local Law if they have a trunk circumference over the required size of 110cm circumference. Excluded weeds are listed in the Schedule 3 of the local law.

Before removing, destroying or lopping any vegetation within the municipality, you should first contact either Council's Planning Department or Council's Environment Department on 1300 322 322.

Frankston Vegetation Study

A Vegetation Study was undertaken by the Frankston City Council in 1997 and again 2006 to identify and create an inventory of remnant areas of remnant vegetation on public and private land.

The study provides valuable information about vegetation condition and significance in the area and was used to develop provisions in the new Frankston Planning Scheme to protect vegetation.

Frankston Vegetation Study 2006

Frankston Vegetation Study 1997

Bankisa Study

Frankston City Council has been undertaking research into the health of Coast Banksia in the municipality to enhance the future management for this species.

Roadside Vegetation Management

The conservation values of Frankston's rural roadsides have been assessed and mapped as part of an innovative regional project involving a variety of key management authorities. The Mornington Peninsula-Western Port Roadside Management Plan includes detailed biological information and management guidelines.

Seaford Foreshore Flora and Fauna Study

The Frankston City Council have commissioned a flora and fauna study to be undertaken on the Seaford Foreshore. This study is well underway and is expected to be completed mid 2010.

Bushbroker

Bushbroker is a Victorian native vegetation credit registration and trading system. It provides a system where offsets from development can be located on a different property to where the native vegetation is being cleared through the purchase of native vegetation credits.

A native vegetation credit is a gain in the quality and/or quantity of native vegetation that is subject to a secure and ongoing agreement. Native vegetation credits are listed on the BushBroker register and these can be bought by another party and subsequently used as an offset for the approved clearing of native vegetation.

For further information on Bushbroker see the Department of Sustainability and Environment's Web site or phone 136 186.

Please contact the Environment Department for further information on (03) 9784 1882 or e-mail environment@frankston.vic.gov.au.