Do you need a permit in Logan?
Vegetation protection operates through mapped vegetation management areas. Approval to clear protected vegetation is obtained by lodging an Operational Works application for vegetation clearing.
A permit is required for
- Clearing any primary vegetation
- Clearing secondary vegetation that meets the height or circumference threshold
- Any clearing that falls outside the exemption criteria in the planning scheme
Generally exempt
- Clearing that complies with the exemption criteria set out in the Logan Planning Scheme 2015
- Non-native vegetation outside mapped areas
- Declared pest species
Where people get caught out
- Circumference, not diameter — Logan’s secondary vegetation threshold is 31.5cm circumference, which is roughly 10cm diameter, a much smaller tree than people assume
- The measurement height is 1.3 metres in Logan, differing from Moreton Bay’s 1 metre
- A state clearing permit may be required in addition to Council approval for remnant vegetation
What is protected in Logan
- Primary vegetation — all native vegetation, mapped light pink on the vegetation management areas map
- Secondary vegetation — native trees over 4 metres tall, or with a trunk circumference of 31.5cm or greater measured 1.3 metres from the ground, mapped light green
- State-regulated remnant vegetation under the Vegetation Management Act 1999
Other instruments that can apply
- Vegetation management areas map
- Vegetation Management Act 1999 (Qld) — administered by the Queensland Department of Resources
When an arborist report is required
Not every application needs one. These are the situations where Logan either requires a report or will ask for one:
- Operational Works applications for vegetation clearing
- Development applications affecting mapped vegetation
- Where the clearing justification rests on tree health, structure or risk
How to apply
- 01
Check the vegetation management areas map
Establish whether your property carries primary (light pink) or secondary (light green) vegetation mapping — or neither.
- 02
Measure against the secondary vegetation threshold
Native trees over 4 metres tall, or 31.5cm trunk circumference at 1.3 metres from the ground, are captured.
- 03
Check the state layer as well
The Queensland Department of Resources administers the Vegetation Management Act 1999. For state-protected remnant vegetation, contact them on 13 58 34 — Council approval alone is not sufficient.
- 04
Lodge an Operational Works application
Clearing protected vegetation in Logan goes through Operational Works, supported by arboricultural evidence where the justification depends on tree condition.
Penalties
Unlawful clearing of protected vegetation attracts enforcement action under the planning scheme, and separately under state legislation where remnant vegetation is involved.
Logan tree removal — questions
Do I need approval to remove a tree in Logan?
If the tree is mapped as primary vegetation, or is secondary vegetation over 4 metres tall or 31.5cm trunk circumference at 1.3 metres, you need approval through an Operational Works application — unless your clearing meets the exemption criteria in the Logan Planning Scheme 2015.
What is the difference between primary and secondary vegetation in Logan?
Primary vegetation is all native vegetation within the mapped light pink areas. Secondary vegetation, mapped light green, captures native trees over 4 metres tall or with a trunk circumference of 31.5cm or more measured 1.3 metres from the ground. Primary mapping is the more restrictive of the two.
Is 31.5cm circumference a big tree?
No — and that is what catches people out. A 31.5cm circumference is roughly 10cm in diameter, about the thickness of a coffee mug. Plenty of trees people assume are too small to be regulated sit above the Logan threshold.
Do I need a state permit as well as Council approval in Logan?
Possibly. The Vegetation Management Act 1999 is administered by the Queensland Department of Resources and applies to state-protected remnant vegetation independently of Council. Check both layers — a Council approval does not cover you for a state breach.
Official Logan sources
Always confirm current requirements directly with council before undertaking tree work.
Information reviewed 28 August 2026. Council rules change — this is general information, not legal advice.