In 2001 amendments were made to the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 relating to growing threatened plant species in domestic gardens. While this issue was promoted at that time (including the USN newsletter), I thought it worth while repeating the message. In short these changes make life easier for an honest home gardener who wants to grow threatened plants.

Sub-section 51(2) was inserted: "A person may take, keep or process, without a permit, a specimen of a listed taxon (species, sub-species or variant) of flora in a domestic garden."

Now, you DO NOT NEED A PERMIT for growing threatened plants in your garden: if the plant was in your garden when you purchased the property; you acquired the plant before the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 was created; or you purchased the plant from a nursery (however the nursery must have a permit).

PERMITS MUST STILL BE OBTAINED for selling, taking from the wild or releasing into the wild of any listed species. If you have a threatened plant in your garden that produces lots of seeds or seedlings, it may be damaging and is certainly illegal to plant them into nearby bushland or to sell them to others. You may spread diseases such as Phytophthora or cause genetic pollution. When you are collecting seeds or other plant material from bushland areas, you must be certain the plant is not a threatened species and if it is you need a collection permit.

If you have any concerns phone me or the Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment's Threatened Species Unit.