Environmental protection
Discover how we protect Brisbane’s natural environment. Learn how you can play your part.
Protecting our natural environment
A changing climate and pressure on our natural resources means some of our native plants and animals are under threat.
Council is committed to protecting these unique natural assets and helping future generations to enjoy Brisbane’s outdoor lifestyle.
To help protect the environment, we:
- plant and nurture trees in streets and parks
- control weeds through herbicides, mulching and strategic planting of competitive native species
- manage invasive species and mitigate ecological threats on public and private land
- help landholders revegetate and preserve flora and fauna on their land
- protect Brisbane’s significant vegetation in waterways, bushland and urban areas under the Natural Assets Local Law 2003, including by issuing Vegetation Protection Orders
- collect a Bushland Preservation Levy from ratepayers to buy land and create conservation reserves
- support catchment groups and work alongside volunteers, businesses and government agencies to protect creeks and catchments
- assist 150 bushcare volunteer groups under the Habitat Brisbane program to conserve and enhance Brisbane's natural habitats.
How you can help
To help preserve Brisbane's precious natural environment, you can:
- identify and remove weeds in your garden
- make a conservation agreement if your property has remnant native bushland
- join community groups and events, such as:
- activities run by Council's environments centres, to learn more about Brisbane's biodiversity
- a catchment group or Habitat Brisbane volunteer group
- collect free native plants for your garden
- take care when visiting natural areas by:
- disposing of your rubbish and green waste responsibly
- reporting illegal waste dumping
- reporting damage to a Council tree or vegetation
- keeping an eye out for and reporting invasive pest plants and animals.
Weed identification and control
Weeds can damage our natural landscapes, agricultural lands, waterways and coastal areas.
If you’re unsure what type of weeds are growing near you, use the weed identification tool to find out.
To manage weeds in Brisbane, we:
- use herbicides (spot, broadscale selective and broadscale non-selective). We use these in line with manufacturer’s recommendations and relevant safety controls and only for targeted weed control
- apply mulch to smother the weeds
- plant other species to outgrow weeds (competitive planting)
- remove weeds by hand
- control weeds, including aquatic weeds, by using other organisms or natural mechanisms (biological control)
- collaborate with industry partners to select herbicides that comply with recommendations from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).
Bushland Preservation Levy
Funds from the Bushland Preservation Levy are used to protect and enhance Brisbane's natural environment.
Residents and businesses pay the levy as part of their rates account. Council uses the funds to protect, manage and restore biodiversity, including implementing the Bushland Acquisition program.
What the Bushland Acquisition program does
The Bushland Acquisition program buys land that supports significant ecosystems, plants and animals.
Since 1990, we've purchased more than 4,000 hectares of land.
These areas are now conservation reserves and:
- support rare and endangered ecosystems, plants and animals
- preserve unique habitats within existing natural areas
- create links within ecological corridors, helping safe wildlife movement
- support unique freshwater and wetland habitats
- protect land that was threatened by development.
Wildlife Conservation Action Statements
Council has developed Wildlife Conservation Action Statements that identify and prioritise actions around protecting, managing and monitoring significant animal and plant species.
The statements can be used in different ways, including:
- sourcing technical species information
- application of habitat management and protection guidelines
- implementation of key actions that will assist in securing the future of these species in Brisbane.
Download and read the Wildlife Conservation Action Statements.