Extent and rate of change of remnant native vegetation
Key Finding
The loss of remnant native vegetation in Queensland has been monitored since 1997 and reached a peak during 1999–2000 at which point 0.4% of the state’s remnant native vegetation was lost in 1 year.
Remnant vegetation clearing increased by 168% in Queensland between the 2011–2013 and the 2015–2017 reporting periods, increasing from approximately 81,000ha to approximately 217,000ha.
Of the 16 Broad Vegetation Groups statewide, 1 (comprising ‘Other acacia dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’) retains less than 60% of its pre-clearing extent as remnant native vegetation as at 2017.
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Queensland
Of Queensland’s 13 bioregions, 3 retain less than half of their area as remnant native vegetation:
- New England Tableland (36%)
- Brigalow Belt (41%)
- Southeast Queensland (44%).
The native vegetation that remains in these bioregions, as well as Central Queensland Coast (70%), Mulga Lands (74%) and Wet Tropics (77%) was less than Queensland’s overall 80% remnant native vegetation at 2017.
Broad Vegetation Groups (BVGs) are a higher-level grouping of regional ecosystems and vegetation communities. BVGs provide an overview of vegetation across both the state and bioregions. At the 1:5 million scale, there are 16 BVGs with varied extent across the state from ‘Eastern eucalypt woodlands to open forests’ (BVG 3) covering 19% of Queensland to ‘Wet eucalypt open forests’ (BVG 2) covering only 0.2% of the state.
Only 2 BVGs retained less than or equal to 60% of their pre-clearing distribution as remnant vegetation in 2017:
- ‘Other acacia dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 10), 57%
- ‘Eucalypt dry woodlands on inland depositional plains’ (BVG 5), 60%.
Remnant vegetation clearing increased by 168% in Queensland between the 2011–2013 and the 2015–2017 reporting periods, from about 81,000ha to about 217,000ha. Of 217,000ha lost, the following bioregions contributed:
- Brigalow Belt (30.2%)
- Mulga Lands (27.3%)
- Gulf Plains (14.9%)
- Mitchell Grass Downs (9.9%)
- Desert Uplands (9.1%)
- Einasleigh Uplands (3.1)
- Cape York Peninsula (2.1%)
- Southeast Queensland (1.5%).
The BVGs most affected by increased clearing in 2013–2015 and 2015–2017, relative to 2011–2013, were:
- ‘Acacia aneura (mulga) dominated open-forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 9, 27% and 21% in the 2013–2015 and 2015–2017 period respectively
- ‘Eucalypt open forests to woodlands on floodplains’ (BVG 4, 18% and 12% in the 2013–2015 and 2015–2017 period respectively)
- ‘Eucalypt dry woodlands on inland depositional plains’ (BVG 5, 17% and 23% in the 2013–2015 and 2015–2017 period respectively)
- ‘Other acacia dominated open-forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 10, 14% and 15% in the 2013–2015 and 2015–2017 period respectively)
- ‘Eastern eucalypt woodlands to open forests’ (BVG 3, 8% and 14% in the 2013–2015 and 2015–2017 period respectively)
- ‘Tussock grasslands, forblands’ (BVG 13, 7% and 7% in the 2013–2015 and 2015–2017 period respectively).
Vegetation cleared to pasture was the main reason for land clearing in the state.
All data including historical data is reviewed with each release of RE mapping and therefore the data is not directly comparable with previous versions of the SoE.
Brigalow Belt
The Brigalow Belt (BRB) bioregion has mainly:
- ‘Other acacia dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 10)
- ‘Eucalypt dry woodlands on inland depositional plains’ (BVG 5)
- ‘Eastern eucalypt woodlands to open forests’ (BVG 3).
These were also the broad vegetation groups (BVGs) most affected by clearing of remnant vegetation in 2015–2017.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the BRB bioregion accounted for 30.2% (65,589ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–2017.
The bioregion had the second lowest percentage of remnant vegetation in Queensland in 2017 at just 41.2%.
None of the BVGs were uncleared. Five of the 16 BVGs present had about 40% or less remaining pre-clearing extent. BVG 10 was the worst affected with only 17% left.
Clearing between 2015 and 2017 affected certain vegetation communities more than others under specific BVGs in the BRB bioregion.
For BVG 5, clearing most affected:
- ‘Eucalyptus populnea (poplar box) or E. melanophloia (silver-leaved ironbark) (or E. whitei (White's ironbark)) dry woodlands to open woodlands on sandplains or depositional plains’.
For BVG 3, clearing most affected:
- ‘Dry to moist eucalypt woodlands and open forests, mainly on undulating to hilly terrain of mainly metamorphic and acid igneous rocks, Land zones 11 and 12'
- ‘Corymbia citriodora (spotted gum) dominated open forests to woodlands on undulating to hilly terrain’.
For BVG 10, clearing most affected:
- ‘Acacia harpophylla (brigalow) sometimes with Casuarina cristata (belah) open forests to woodlands on heavy clay soils’.
Vegetation cleared to pasture was the main reason for land clearing in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula (CYP) bioregion has mostly ‘Eastern eucalypt woodlands to open forests’ (BVG 3) and ‘Melaleuca open woodlands on depositional plains’ (BVG 8). The bioregion is mostly intact with 99.4% remnant vegetation.
All 12 of the broad vegetation groups (BVGs) in CYP had more than 99% of their pre-clearing native vegetation remaining in 2017.
Two BVGs have had no clearing:
- ‘Other acacia dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 10)
- ‘Eucalypt low open woodlands usually with spinifex understorey’ (BVG 6).
Remnant vegetation clearing in the CYP bioregion accounted for 2.1% (4,613ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–2017.
Most of the clearing occurred within ‘Eastern eucalypt woodlands to open forests’ (BVG 3) community. Within this, clearing most affected:
- 'Woodlands and tall woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus tetrodonta (Darwin stringybark) (or E. megasepala), and/or Corymbia nesophila (Melville Island bloodwood) and/or E. phoenicea (scarlet gum)'.
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason land was cleared in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
Central Queensland Coast
The Central Queensland Coast (CQC) bioregion has mostly ‘Eastern eucalypt woodlands to open forests’ (BVG 3) and ‘Rainforests, scrubs’ (BVG 1).
The bioregion had 70% remnant vegetation in 2017.
The pre-clearing extent of broad vegetation groups (BVGs) is quite mixed. While 6 of the 11 BVGs have more than 90% of their pre-clearing extent, another 3 have only about 40%.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the CQC bioregion accounted for 0.8% (1,691ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–2017.
Most of the clearing in CQC was in ‘Eastern eucalypt woodlands to open forests’ (BVG 3), particularly affecting:
- ‘Moist to dry eucalypt open forests to woodlands usually on coastal lowlands and ranges’
- ‘Corymbia citriodora (spotted gum) dominated open forests to woodlands on undulating to hilly terrain’.
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason land was cleared in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
Channel Country
The Channel Country (CHC) bioregion has mainly:
- ‘Tussock grasslands, forblands’ (BVG 13)
- ‘Other acacia dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 10)
- ‘Hummock grasslands’ (BVG 14)
- ‘Wetlands (swamps and lakes)’ (BVG 15)
- ‘Acacia aneura (mulga) dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 9).
The bioregion is mostly intact with 99.8% of remnant vegetation remaining in 2017.
- 7 of the 8 broad vegetation groups (BVGs) in CHC have more than 99% of their pre-clear extent.
- The BVG most impacted by native vegetation loss — ‘Mixed species woodlands — open woodlands (inland bioregions) includes wooded downs’ (BVG 11) — has 85% of pre-clearing remnant vegetation.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the CHC bioregion accounted for 0.3% (724ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–2017.
The BVGs most affected by clearing in the CHC bioregion between 2015–2017 were BVG 10, BVG 9 and BVG 14.
For BVG 10, clearing most affected:
- ‘Acacia cambagei (gidgee) / A. georginae (Georgina gidgee) / A. argyrodendron (blackwood) dominated associations’.
For BVG 9, clearing most affected:
- ‘Acacia aneura (mulga) dominated associations on red earth plains, sandplains or residuals’.
For BVG 14, clearing most affected:
- ‘Hummock grasslands dominated by Triodia spp. (spinifex) or Zygochloa paradoxa (sandhill canegrass) associations on dunefields or sandplains’.
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason land was cleared in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
Desert Uplands
The Desert Uplands (DEU) bioregion has mainly ‘Eucalypt dry woodlands on inland depositional plains’ (BVG 5) and ‘Other acacia dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 10).
The bioregion had 80.9% remnant vegetation in 2017.
The bioregion’s 2 largest broad vegetation groups (BVGs) have sustained the most loss of pre-clearing native vegetation:
- BVG 5 has 82.6% of pre-clearing extent
- BVG 10 has 59.6%.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the DEU bioregion accounted for 9.1% (19,831ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–017. Most of the clearing in DEU was within BVG 5 communities, particularly affecting:
- ‘Eucalyptus populnea (poplar box) or E. melanophloia (silver-leaved ironbark) (or E. whitei (White's ironbark)) dry woodlands to open woodlands on sandplains or depositional plains’
- ‘Dry eucalypt woodlands to open woodlands primarily on sandplains or depositional plains’.
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason land was cleared in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
Einasleigh Uplands
The Einasleigh Uplands (EIU) bioregion has mainly:
- ‘Eastern eucalypt woodlands to open forests’ (BVG 3)
- ‘Eucalypt dry woodlands on inland depositional plains’ (BVG 5)
- ‘Eucalypt low open woodlands usually with spinifex understorey’ (BVG 6).
The bioregion is mostly intact with 97.8% of remnant vegetation.
All but 1 broad vegetation group (BVG) had more than 90% of their pre-clearing native vegetation remaining in 2017.
- ‘Wet eucalypt open forests’ (BVG 2) had lost more than 40% of its pre-clearing extent.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the EIU bioregion accounted for 3.07% (6,665ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland in 2015–2017.
Most of the clearing in EIU was in BVG 3 communities, particularly affecting:
- ‘Dry to moist eucalypt woodlands and open forests, mainly on undulating to hilly terrain of mainly metamorphic and acid igneous rocks, Land zones 11 and 12’
- ‘Moist to dry eucalypt open forests to woodlands usually on coastal lowlands and ranges’.
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason land was cleared in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
Gulf Plains
Gulf Plains (GUP) bioregion has mainly:
- ‘Melaleuca open woodlands on depositional plains’ (BVG 8)
- ‘Tussock grasslands and forblands’ (BVG 13)
- ‘Eucalypt open forests to woodlands on floodplains’ (BVG 4).
The bioregion is mostly intact with 99.1% of remnant vegetation.
All 14 of the broad vegetation groups (BVGs) in GUP had more than 96% of their pre-clearing extent remaining in 2017.
- ‘Callitris woodland — open forests’ (BVG 7), while relatively restricted, remained completely intact.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the GUP bioregion accounted for 14.9% (32,391ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–2017.
Clearing between 2015 and 2017 affected certain communities more than others under specific BVGs in the bioregion. Much of the clearing was in communities of BVG 4 and BVG 13.
For BVG 4, clearing mostly affected:
- ‘Eucalyptus spp. dominated open forest and woodlands drainage lines and alluvial plains’.
For BVG 13, clearing mostly affected:
- ‘Closed tussock grasslands in coastal locations’
- ‘Mixed open forblands to open tussock grasslands in inland locations’.
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason land was cleared in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
Mitchell Grass Downs
Mitchell Grass Downs (MGD) bioregion has mainly:
- ‘Tussock grasslands, forblands’ (BVG 13)
- ‘Other acacia dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 10)
- ‘Mixed species woodlands — open woodlands, includes wooded downs’ (BVG 11).
The bioregion is mostly intact with 94% of the area remnant vegetation. At least 9 of the 12 broad vegetation groups (BVGs) in MGD had more than 90% of their pre-clearing extent remaining in 2017. However, only 26% of the pre-clearing ‘Callitris woodland — open forests’ (BVG 7) remained in 2017.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the MGD bioregion accounted for 9.89% (21,455ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–2017.
Clearing between 2015 and 2017 affected certain BVG communities more than others. Clearing had the most impact on the bioregion’s 3 largest BVGs: BVG 10, BVG 11 and BVG 13.
For BVG 10, clearing most affected:
- ‘Acacia cambagei (gidgee) / A. georginae (Georgina gidgee) / A. argyrodendron (blackwood) dominated associations’
- ‘Acacia harpophylla (brigalow) sometimes with Casuarina cristata (belah) open forests to woodlands on heavy clay soils’.
For BVG 11, clearing most affected:
- ‘Mixed species woodlands — open woodlands (Atalaya hemiglauca (whitewood), Lysiphyllum spp., Acacia tephrina (boree), wooded downs’.
For BVG 13, clearing most affected:
- ‘Astrebla spp. (Mitchell grass), Dichanthium spp. (bluegrass) tussock grasslands’
- ‘Mixed open forblands to open tussock grasslands in inland locations’.
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason land was cleared in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
Mulga Lands
The Mulga Lands (MUL) bioregion has mainly ‘Acacia aneura (mulga) dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 9) and ‘Other acacia dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 10).
The bioregion had 74.2% remnant vegetation in 2017.
Only 3 of the 8 broad vegetation groups (BVGs) had more than 90% of their pre-clearing extent remaining in 2017.
The greatest loss of native vegetation was found within BVG 5: ‘Eucalypt dry woodlands on inland depositional plains’ have only 34% of its pre-clearing native vegetation.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the MUL bioregion accounted for 27.3% (59,122ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–2017.
Clearing between 2015 and 2017 affected certain communities more than others, particularly BVG 9, BVG 5 and BVG 10.
For BVG 9, clearing most affected:
- ‘Acacia aneura (mulga) dominated associations on red earth plains, sandplains or residuals’.
For BVG 5, clearing most affected:
- ‘Eucalyptus populnea (poplar box) or E. melanophloia (silver-leaved ironbark) dry woodlands to open woodlands on sandplains or depositional plains’.
For BVG 10, clearing most affected:
- ‘Acacia spp. on residuals. Species include A. clivicola, A. sibirica, A. shirleyi (lancewood), A. microsperma (bowyakka), A. catenulata (bendee), A. rhodoxylon (ringy rosewood)’
- ‘Acacia harpophylla (brigalow) sometimes with Casuarina cristata (belah) open forests to woodlands on heavy clay soils’
- ‘Acacia cambagei (gidgee) / A. georginae (Georgina gidgee) / A. argyrodendron (blackwood) dominated associations’.
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason land was cleared in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
New England Tableland
The New England Tableland (NET) bioregion is comprised mainly of various communities under ‘Eastern eucalypt woodlands to open forests’ (BVG 3) and ‘Eucalypt dry woodlands on inland depositional plains’ (BVG 5).
Under BVG 3, the most prevalent communities in NET include ‘Woodlands of Eucalyptus crebra (narrow leaf ironbark)’ and ‘Woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus populnea (poplar box)’.
This bioregion had the lowest percentage of remnant vegetation in Queensland in 2017 with only 36.2% remaining. Only 34% of the largest vegetation group, BVG 3, remained.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the NET bioregion accounted for 0.4% (788ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–2017.
Clearing between 2015 and 2017 affected certain BVG communities more than others in the NET bioregion, particularly BVG 3 and BVG 5.
For BVG 3, clearing most affected:
- ‘Temperate eucalypt woodlands’
- ‘Dry to moist eucalypt woodlands and open forests, mainly on undulating to hilly terrain of mainly metamorphic and acid igneous rocks’.
For BVG 5, clearing most affected:
- ‘Eucalyptus populnea (poplar box) or E. melanophloia (silver-leaved ironbark) dry woodlands to open woodlands on sandplains or depositional plains’.
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason for land clearing in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
Northwest Highlands
Northwest Highlands (NWH) bioregion mainly comprises ‘Eucalypt low open woodlands usually with spinifex understorey grasses’ (BVG 6).
The bioregion is mostly intact with 99.6% of remnant vegetation. All 12 of the broad vegetation groups (BVGs) in NWH had more than 98% of their pre-clearing extent remaining in 2017. Two BVGs were completely intact.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the NWH bioregion accounted for 0.3% (642ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–2017.
The largest amount of clearing was within communities of BVG 6 and ‘Other acacia dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG 10).
For BVG 6, clearing most affected:
- ‘Eucalyptus spp. (E. leucophloia (snappy gum), E. leucophylla (Cloncurry box), E. persistens, E. normantonensis (Normanton box)) low open woodlands often with Triodia spp. dominated ground layer’.
For BVG 10, clearing most affected:
- ‘Acacia cambagei (gidgee) / A. georginae (Georgina gidgee) / A. argyrodendron (blackwood) dominated associations.’
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason land was cleared in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
Southeast Queensland
The Southeast Queensland (SEQ) bioregion has various communities under:
- ‘Eastern eucalypt woodlands to open forests’ (BVG 3)
- ‘Eucalypt open forests to woodlands on floodplains’ (BVG 4)
- ‘Rainforests, scrubs’ (BVG 1).
Under BVG 3, ‘Woodlands of Eucalyptus crebra (narrow leaf ironbark)' and ‘Woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus populnea (poplar box)’ are most prevalent in SEQ.
The SEQ bioregion had the third lowest remnant vegetation in the state in 2017: just 44.2% remained. Clearing has impacted all broad vegetation groups (BVGs).
- ‘Other acacia dominated open forests, woodlands and shrublands’ (BVG10) is the worst affected with only 4.4% remaining in 2017.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the SEQ bioregion accounted for 1.5% (3,171ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–2017.
Clearing between 2015 and 2017 affected certain communities more than others under specific BVGs in the SEQ bioregion. Most of the clearing was within BVG 3 and BVG 4 communities.
For BVG 3, clearing specifically affected:
- ‘Corymbia citriodora (spotted gum) dominated open forests to woodlands on undulating to hilly terrain’
- ‘Dry to moist eucalypt woodlands and open forests, mainly on undulating to hilly terrain of mainly metamorphic and acid igneous rocks, Land zones 11 and 12)’
- ‘Moist to dry eucalypt open forests to woodlands usually on coastal lowlands and ranges’.
For BVG 4, clearing mostly affected:
- ‘Eucalyptus spp. dominated open forest and woodlands drainage lines and alluvial plains’.
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason land was cleared in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
7801ha of regrowth vegetation ascertained remnant status in Southeast Queensland during 2013-2015.
Wet Tropics
The Wet Tropics (WET) bioregion has mostly ‘Rainforests, scrubs’ (BVG 1). Other vegetation includes ‘Eastern eucalypt woodlands to open forests’ (BVG 3). This bioregion had 76.7% remnant vegetation in 2017.
Clearing has impacted all 10 broad vegetation groups (BVGs) in WET. Only 8% of the pre-clearing extent of the restricted ‘Tussock grasslands, forblands’ (BVG 13) remained in 2017.
Remnant vegetation clearing in the WET bioregion accounted for 0.1% (200ha) of the total area of remnant vegetation cleared in Queensland during 2015–2017.
Most clearing in WET was within BVG 3 communities, specifically:
- ‘Moist to dry eucalypt open forests to woodlands usually on coastal lowlands and ranges’.
Vegetation cleared for pasture was the main reason land was cleared in this bioregion in 2015–2017.
More information:
Relevant Sustainable Development Goals’ targets
Download data from Queensland Government data
Metadata
Comparison between extents of pre-clear (pre-European settlement extent) and remnant (current extent) vegetation mapping. Categorised by 5 million scale Broad Vegetation Groups. Data is based on the latest Regional Ecosystems mapping (2018).
Change (loss or gain) in remnant native vegetation extent from 1997–2017 as a result of clearing. Categorised by 5 million scale Broad Vegetation Groups. Data is based on the latest Regional Ecosystems mapping (2018).