Where developments involve impacts to species listed as threatened under the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 (TSPA), permits to 'take' may be required. 'Take' is defined in the TSPA as kill, injure, pursue, catch, damage, destroy and collect. Permits are also required to collect and handle threatened flora and fauna specimens during surveys for development-related activities, and to take wildlife and/or products of wildlife listed in the Schedules of the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulations 2021 (NCR).
If you require a permit for a threatened species, listed wildlife species, or a product of wildlife, please use one of the permit application forms listed below. Each application form also has a factsheet attached to it to assist with filling out the application.
Permit applications for Individuals
Permitting for development-related activities application (PDF 421Kb)
Taking flora for development-related surveys application (PDF 282Kb)
Permit applications for Body Corporates
Permitting for development-related activities for a body corporate application (PDF 441Kb)
Taking flora for development-related surveys for a body corporate application (PDF 348Kb)
Management Plan Templates
Permit applications for little penguins, Tasmanian devil den decommissioning, threatened fauna translocations (e.g. giant freshwater crayfish, green and gold frog, etc) and threatened flora* translocations require a management and/or translocation plan to be completed and approved with the permit application. Templates for these can be found at the links below:
Fauna Management Translocation Plan Template (DOCX 157Kb)
Den Management and Decommissioning Plan Template (DOCX 148Kb)
Little Penguin Management Plan Template (DOCX 154Kb)
*For threatened flora translocations please contact Conservation Assessments to discuss the process for applying for permits for these.
Survey Data Relating to the Development
Prior to a permit application being assessed by the Conservation Assessments team, all survey observation records for the species that are to be taken under permit for the proposed project will need to be entered into, and verified, in the Natural Values Atlas (NVA). The NVA is the official repository for records of Tasmanian species population and abundance figures. Please ensure your data has been entered and approved in the NVA before submitting your permit application. The data must include:
- species name/s
- grid references in GDA94
- accuracy in metres
- date of observation accurate to the day
- observer name
- estimates of the number of mature individuals and area occupied
- notes on disturbance
- potential threats
Assessment of Permit Applications
Applicants should allow four weeks for an application to be assessed and processed. Permits will generally not be issued until the relevant planning approvals are obtained.
Before Conservation Assessments can approve a permit to take for threatened species, permit applicants need to demonstrate that they have considered the mitigation hierarchy in relation to the impacts of the development activity to the target species. Permits will not be issued unless there is clear demonstration of the mitigation hierarchy considerations in the permit application/s:
Avoid - Can the impact be avoided? Is avoidance practicable with a minor redesign or relocation of the works?
Minimise - If avoidance is not practicable/possible, can the impact be minimised through reduction of development footprint, limiting operating hours, reducing speed limits, altering the design concept etc.
Mitigations– If the impacts cannot be minimised, certain mitigations may be recommended to reduce the severity of the impacts. This may include translocation, rehabilitation of the impact site, fencing and/or buffers, implementation of weed/hygiene management plans, daily roadkill checks for pouched young, ongoing monitoring/auditing etc.
Offset – Is there likely to be a residual impact (post mitigation) and if so, what are the likely consequences if that impact should occur? Will the impact be short-term, long-term or permanent? Is an offset recommended to compensate for the residual impact? If so, what type of offset would provide the best outcome for the natural value?
Other Resources
Guidance about planning development activities and desktop natural values resources can be found at the following link: Development Planning and Conservation Assessment Tools.
Survey guidelines for development activities can be found at the following link: Survey Guidelines for Development Assessments.
Information and permit applications for scientific flora and fauna permits can be accessed via the following link: Forms and Permits.