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Forest Practices Act 1985
17Restrictions on harvesting timber, &c.
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### 17 Restrictions on harvesting timber, &c.
> *\[Section 17 Substituted by No. 29 of 1994, s. 9 \]*
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> > (1) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (1) substituted by No. 23 of 1999, s. 16, Applied:01 Jul 1999\]*](/view/html/inforce/1999-07-01/act-1999-023#GS16@Hpa@EN) For the purposes of this section, a person is taken to be a responsible person in relation to any land if that person –
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> > > > (a) is the owner of that land and has not assigned his or her responsibilities under this section to another person in accordance with [subsection (2)](#GS17@Gs2@EN) ; or
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> > > > (b) is a person to whom the owner's responsibilities under this section have been assigned in accordance with [subsection (2)](#GS17@Gs2@EN) ; or
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> > > > (c) is a timber processor having the immediate right, whether by virtue of a contract or otherwise, to process timber harvested on that land; or
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> > > > (d) carries out, or causes to be carried out, forest practices on that land.
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> > (2) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (2) amended by No. 23 of 1999, s. 16, Applied:01 Jul 1999\]*](/view/html/inforce/1999-07-01/act-1999-023#GS16@Hpb@EN) An owner of land may enter into an agreement in writing under seal with any person under which that person is assigned the owner's responsibilities under this section.
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> > (3) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (3) omitted by No. 15 of 2001, Sched. 2, Applied:01 Jul 2001\]*](/view/html/inforce/2001-07-01/act-2001-015#JS2@Ja9@GC1@EN) . . . . . . . .
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> > (4) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (4) amended by No. 25 of 2019, s. 7, Applied:07 Oct 2019\]*](/view/html/inforce/2019-10-07/act-2019-025#GS7@EN) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (4) substituted by No. 23 of 1999, s. 16, Applied:01 Jul 1999\]*](/view/html/inforce/1999-07-01/act-1999-023#GS16@Hpc@EN) A person who is a responsible person in relation to any land must not carry out, or cause or allow the carrying out of, an activity of the following kind on that land unless a certified forest practices plan authorising the carrying out of the activity exists in respect of that land when that activity is being carried out:
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> > > > (a) the establishment of forests;
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> > > > (b) the harvesting of timber;
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> > > > (ba) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (4) amended by No. 110 of 2001, s. 6, Applied:01 Jan 2002\]*](/view/html/inforce/2002-01-01/act-2001-110#GS6@EN) the clearing of trees;
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> > > > (bb) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (4) amended by No. 35 of 2006, s. 6, Applied:30 Apr 2007\]*](/view/html/inforce/2007-04-30/act-2006-035#GS6@Hpa@EN) the clearance and conversion of a threatened native vegetation community;
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> > > > (c) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (4) amended by No. 55 of 2004, s. 42, Applied:01 Jul 2005\]*](/view/html/inforce/2005-07-01/act-2004-055#GS42@Hpa@EN) the construction of a road in connection with an activity referred to in [paragraph (a)](#GS17@Gs4@Hpa@EN) , [(b)](#GS17@Gs4@Hpb@EN) or [(ba)](#GS17@Gs4@Hpba@EN) ;
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> > > > (d) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (4) amended by No. 55 of 2004, s. 42, Applied:01 Jul 2005\]*](/view/html/inforce/2005-07-01/act-2004-055#GS42@Hpb@EN) the operation of a quarry in connection with an activity referred to in [paragraph (a)](#GS17@Gs4@Hpa@EN) , [(b)](#GS17@Gs4@Hpb@EN) or [(ba)](#GS17@Gs4@Hpba@EN) .
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> > Penalty: [*\[Section 17 Subsection (4) amended by No. 55 of 2004, s. 42, Applied:01 Jul 2005\]*](/view/html/inforce/2005-07-01/act-2004-055#GS42@Hpc@EN) Fine not exceeding 1 000 penalty units.
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> > (5) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (5) amended by No. 23 of 1999, Sched. 2, Applied:01 Jul 1999\]*](/view/html/inforce/1999-07-01/act-1999-023#JS2@JT@tr@oc1@EN) A timber processor must not purchase or acquire timber that has been harvested from land in respect of which there is not in existence at the time of the harvesting a certified forest practices plan.
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> > Penalty: [*\[Section 17 Subsection (5) amended by No. 55 of 2004, s. 42, Applied:01 Jul 2005\]*](/view/html/inforce/2005-07-01/act-2004-055#GS42@Hpd@EN) Fine not exceeding 1 000 penalty units.
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> > (5A) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (5A) inserted by No. 113 of 2001, s. 5, Applied:01 Jan 2002\]*](/view/html/inforce/2002-01-01/act-2001-113#GS5@Hpa@EN) A person must not harvest tree ferns unless –
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> > > > (a) the tree ferns are harvested in accordance with a forest practices plan that enables the harvesting of tree ferns; and
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> > > > (b) each tree fern has a tag referred to in [section 18A](#GS18A@EN) affixed to its stem before removal from the harvesting area as identified in the forest practices plan.
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> > Penalty: [*\[Section 17 Subsection (5A) amended by No. 55 of 2004, s. 42, Applied:01 Jul 2005\]*](/view/html/inforce/2005-07-01/act-2004-055#GS42@Hpe@EN) Fine not exceeding 1 000 penalty units.
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> > (5B) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (5B) inserted by No. 35 of 2006, s. 6, Applied:30 Apr 2007\]*](/view/html/inforce/2007-04-30/act-2006-035#GS6@Hpb@EN) A person must not purchase or acquire native vegetation that has been obtained through the clearance and conversion of a threatened native vegetation community on land in respect of which there is not in existence, at the beginning of that clearance and conversion process, a certified forest practices plan.
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> > Penalty: Fine not exceeding 1 000 penalty units.
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> > (6) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (6) amended by No. 35 of 2006, s. 6, Applied:30 Apr 2007\]*](/view/html/inforce/2007-04-30/act-2006-035#GS6@Hpc@EN) [*\[Section 17 Subsection (6) amended by No. 113 of 2001, s. 5, Applied:01 Jan 2002\]*](/view/html/inforce/2002-01-01/act-2001-113#GS5@Hpb@EN) [Subsections (4)](#GS17@Gs4@EN) , [(5)](#GS17@Gs5@EN) , [(5A)](#GS17@Gs5A@EN) and [(5B)](#GS17@Gs5B@EN) do not apply in prescribed circumstances.