NSW land-clearing up 16% in 2024 as conservation groups say Minns government failing to rein in habitat loss

New South Wales saw a 16% rise in land clearing in 2024, according to new government data cited by The Guardian World, underscoring concerns from conservation groups that the Minns government is not doing enough to slow habitat loss.

The figures show that 81,293 hectares were cleared across the state during the year, an area described in the report as more than 275 times the size of the Sydney CBD. The data also indicates that nearly 90 rugby league fields’ worth of woody habitat was bulldozed every day in NSW in 2024.

While clearing of trees and shrubs declined, that drop was more than offset by a sharp increase in the removal of non-woody vegetation. The report says clearing of that vegetation type jumped 70% compared with the previous year, driving the overall increase.

The statistics add to long-running pressure on state authorities over habitat destruction and land management. Conservation advocates have argued that continued high clearing rates are undermining efforts to protect biodiversity and native ecosystems, particularly as development and agricultural pressures continue across regional NSW.

The new figures were published in government data and highlighted in a monitored public feed item from The Guardian World. Based on that report, conservation groups say the state is still failing to get land clearing under control despite ongoing concern about the loss of habitat.

NSW has faced scrutiny in recent years over the scale of vegetation removal, with campaigners warning that clearing can fragment ecosystems, reduce wildlife corridors and make recovery harder for native species. The latest data suggests those concerns remain unresolved, even as some categories of clearing have eased.

This article is based on a monitored public feed and summarizes the available report details without additional reporting.

Source: The Guardian World - https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jul/21/nsw-land-clearing-increase-report