Regulation for Protection and Preservation of Island Vegetation and Flora in the Maldives (No. 2022/R-92).

These Regulations are issued under the Environment Protection Act 4/93 for the protection, preservation, and management of island vegetation and flora across the Maldives. The Regulations establish strict legal standards and administrative procedures for cutting, uprooting, removing, and transferring trees and palms between islands or within local jurisdictions.
The Regulations also provide for the protection of key ecological zones and vulnerable flora. It strictly prohibits removing vegetation from designated coastal protection belts (within 20 meters of the coastline), environmentally protected areas, wetlands, mangroves, or areas legally set aside for biodiversity conservation. Furthermore, protected tree species, endangered plants, and ancient trees are granted complete immunity from removal unless exceptional circumstances apply, such as mitigating natural disaster risks or addressing severe coastal erosion. For projects where tree removal or land clearance is legally permissible, strict compliance and offset mechanisms are required. Project proponents or contractors must obtain prior approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or local city/island councils. A mandatory replacement rule requires planting 4 replacement trees or palms for every single tree uprooted or cut down. Additionally, the regulation mandates that all relocated trees carry non-removable traceability numbers to allow authorities to monitor their transportation, replanting, and survival rates. The Regulations lay down enforcement mechanisms and severe financial penalties for non-compliance. Fines are levied on an escalating scale for violations such as unauthorized tree cutting or removal, failure to label trees with traceability numbers, or failing to submit required annual vegetation inventories and monitoring reports to the EPA.