The Vegetation Management Bill is to be fast tracked as the government's first priority in the new Parliament.

Cabinet yesterday endorsed the immediate introduction of legislation to support the moratorium, to be retrospectively effective from 8 April.

The legislation affects more than 1 million hectares, including all native vegetation within 50m of a watercourse in the priority reef catchments Mackay/Whitsunday, Burdekin and Wet Tropics catchments and endangered regrowth vegetation on freehold and leasehold land.

Premier Anna Bligh said the Bill was a vital protective measure to prevent pre-emptive clearing while industry, agricultural and conservation groups were consulted on ways to make tree-clearing laws more effective.

"The moratorium gives us the chance to finalise the longer term arrangements to protect high value regrowth and give landholders the means to continue to manage vegetation on their properties," she said.

"I'm fully aware there have been criticisms of this Bill but suggestions the moratorium is shutting down development on farms in regional and rural Queensland are simply not true."

Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson said landholders with a certified Property Map of Assessable Vegetation (PMAV) could still clear vegetation mapped as category X on the PMAV.

Clearing for a range of exemptions, including fire breaks, can also continue during the moratorium.

"Those with existing development approvals can also carry out clearing that is covered by the approval - I have also ensured land holders can still obtain PMAVs during the moratorium for land which is not affected by the scope of the moratorium," he said.

"Importantly, PMAV applications made before March 26 will be considered under the existing legislation and applications for PMAVs received on or after that date and not decided at the commencement of the legislation will be dealt with under the provisions of the moratorium.

"These applications will be considered promptly to see if approval could lead to clearing of vegetation that is intended to be protected under the moratorium. If areas protected by the moratorium are not part of the application, they will be processed as usual. This continues to provide certainty for landholders."